The Vietnamese Government will create the possible best conditions for
Sri Lankan and Vietnamese businesses to approach investment and trade
opportunities.
State President Truong Tan Sang made this affirmation at a reception for
Asoka Hettigoda, President of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri
Lanka, in Hanoi on Nov. 17.
He said he hopes the two
countries’ businesses will take advantage of cooperative opportunities
to raise export and import value and increase two-way trade to 1 billion
USD by 2015.
Hettigoda said that in addition to studying the market, the visit aims to promote long-term investment in Vietnam.
Sri Lankan businesses want to find out about cooperative opportunities
in the fields of garment, gemstone, healthcare, rubber and timber
trading, machinery and tourism in which Vietnam has experience,
Hettigoda said.
He expressed his desire to promote
relations between the two countries’ businesses through support
policies, adding that in the short term, Sri Lanka will invite
Vietnamese enterprises to participate in a trade fair and exhibition to
be held in the country next year.
The same day, a
meeting between Vietnamese and Sri Lankan businesses took place 7 in
Hanoi to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two
countries towards the goal of 1 billion USD in two-way trade by 2015.
The event, co-hosted by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (VCCI) in cooperation with the National Chamber of Commerce
of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) also aims to help Vietnamese businesses to foster
commodities and technologies exports to Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the meeting, Hoang Van Dung, Vice Chairman of VCCI, said it
is necessary to lift Vietnam-Sri Lanka trade relations to a new height.
President Asoka Hettigoda expressed hope to seek
more opportunities to import goods from Vietnam as well as further
cooperate with Vietnamese businesses in the fields of medical equipment;
hospital and hotel construction; pharmaceutical product; garment and
textile; products from coconut, tea, rubber, precious stone and cable.
He said NCCSL pledges to create conditions to
support the two sides’ enterprises in promoting trade between the two
countries.
In the framework of the meeting, VCCI
and NCCSL signed a cooperative agreement, which is expected to open new
opportunities for the two countries’ businesses./.