Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged Vietnamese trade counselors and officials posted abroad to work harder to expand the country’s export markets and facilitate business across industry, farming and services.

Meeting with the officials in Hanoi on December 23, PM Dung pressed them to make greater efforts in negotiations on a series of trade agreements at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

He also asked them for proposals tailored for each commodity so as to avert trade protection in the countries which import Vietnamese goods.

The counselors asked ministries, agencies and localities to realise agreements reached between Vietnamese and foreign leaders, thus pushing forward trade with overseas markets.

According to Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang, exports-imports netted some 132.2 billion USD this year, up 15.4 percent from 2012.

Despite turbulences in several foreign markets, some sectors have gained strong footholds like garment, leather and footwear, wood and wooden furniture, electronic products and spare parts.

The ministry aims for an export growth of over 10 percent next year and a trade deficit of 6 percent. At the same time, it will also realise international commitments and quicken negotiations for the early signing of free trade agreements.-VNA