10:47:26 AM | 12/20/2022
El Salvador's first Ambassador to Vietnam Ruben Omar Orozco Burgos confirmed that the two countries should promote economic cooperation at a recent meeting with Mr. Pham Tan Cong, President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
The ambassador said El Salvador is a small country with more than six million people; GDP is only about US$28 billion/year; per capita income is about US$4,000 /year. And, El Salvador hopes to promote economic, trade, cultural and political relations with Vietnam.
The trade turnover of Vietnam and El Salvador is currently about US$157.6 million. In which, up to US$156 million is exported from Vietnam to El Salvador. El Salvador currently exports just over US$1 million to Vietnam each year with such products as plastic, paper, cardboard and fabrics. Meanwhile, Vietnam's main products exported to El Salvador are electronics, footwear, thread and paper.
"We are very interested in further strengthening the trade relationship between Vietnam and El Salvador," said Ambassador Ruben Omar Orozco Burgos. He also expressed his desire to work with VCCI to promote trade promotion activities, connect trade, and organize forums and fairs to expand trade activities.
Ruben Omar Orozco Burgos said El Salvador's ambition is to become an investment attraction center. "We affirm that Vietnam's investment in El Salvador has many advantages," emphasized Mr. Ruben Omar Orozco Burgos.
Congratulating El Salvador on opening an embassy in Vietnam and congratulating Mr. Ruben Omar Orozco Burgos on taking his term of office as El Salvador's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, VCCI President Pham Tan Cong emphasized that this is an important event in the two countries' relations.
“The two countries need to step up the exchange of information on investment opportunities to promote bilateral trade and investment cooperation. The establishment of the El Salvador Embassy in Vietnam is a good condition to promote cooperation between the two countries.”
Mr. Pham Tan Cong emphasized that the cooperation potential of the two countries is very large. In particular, economic cooperation and business cooperation should be the "pillars" of the cooperation.
With VCCI’s function of promoting business support, VCCI President Pham Tan Cong believed that this event will open a new chapter in the cooperation between the business communities of the two countries. Accordingly, the first thing to do is to strengthen the exchange of information on the two countries' markets. The second thing is to support and promote businesses of the two countries to be able to exchange and meet face-to-face.
“We look forward to welcoming many El Salvador business delegations to explore the market as well as seek cooperation opportunities in Vietnam. We hope that during the Ambassador's term, we will work closely to create new changes in business cooperation between the two countries," emphasized VCCI President Pham Tan Cong.
By Giang Tu, Vietnam Business Forum