The Australia-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce on May 19 was inaugurated in Sydney, Australia with a view of assisting Australian businesses seeking opportunities in Vietnam.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Tran Thanh Tan and Consul General Nguyen The Phiet; Jim Enright, representative of the Australian Commercial Committee, and Paul Wojciechowski, representative of the Australian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, attended the opening ceremony.
The chamber will play a key role in voicing businesses viewpoints and concerns to the two governments in the coming period, through visits to Vietnam by Prime Minister John Howard, Minister for Trade Mark Vaile and Treasurer Peter Costello in the framework of the high-level meeting of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, said the Chairman of the Australia-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Dover.
Vietnam has concluded bilateral negotiations and is preparing to join the World Trade Organization this year, creating a major opportunity for Australia businesses, said Bruce Dover.
He added that Australia and Vietnam are potential partners but their trade and investment cooperation activities remain modest.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vietnamese Ambassador stressed that Vietnam is making constant efforts to improve its investment and business environment.
At present, Australia is among the big investors in the Southeast Asian country, focusing on telecommunications, banking, infrastructure, transportation, food processing, healthcare and environment. Two-way trade between the two countries posted $3.3 billion in 2005.
Vietnam is now the fourth biggest development assistance receiver of Australian aid.
Youth, VOV
Vietnamese
