The US’s California State wants to cooperate with Vietnam in the fields of informatics technology, biological technology, cultural exchange, and education, according to California State congressmen.
Many big US trading groups, investors and businesses see Vietnam a huge potential market and wish to access it. On Khiem’s second working day in the US, he met with California State Senator Leland Yee, Congressman Fabien Nunez, Speaker of the California State Assembly, the leadership of the Oakland port, the Executive Boards of Bantry Bay Ventures LLC, Bamney Investment, the East West Bank, and others.
Senator Leland Yee and Congressman Fabien Nunez told Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem that California wants to promote friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, and with Ho Chi Minh City and Danang City in particular. They expressed hopes to bring economic and trade ties between Vietnam and the US to new heights.
Khiem said Vietnam chooses California because the state is large, home to many overseas Vietnamese, and has a strong economy.
He revealed plans to hold a business forum between enterprises from California and Vietnam next summer, and requested Congressman Fabien Nunez to work as co-President of the forum.
While consultant companies want to bring US investors and businessmen to the Vietnamese market and help Vietnam's companies make IPO at US stock exchanges, the Oakland port leadership expressed willingness to share experiences in building, operating and handling port systems with Vietnamese partners.
Banking and financial groups meanwhile want to explore opportunities to open branches in Vietnam, set up partnerships with Vietnamese banks and mobilize capital for investment in the country.
Khiem arrived in the US on March 10 and will stay there until March 18.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and the US reached nearly US$9.7 billion in 2006, up 21.25 per cent on-year. Of which, Vietnam exported around US$8.56 billion worth of goods to the US, up 29.11 per cent on-year, and imported over US$1.1 billion from the foreign country, down 8.3 per cent. (Vietnam & World Economy, The People)
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