Senior Vietnamese finance and banking officials recently met with representatives from Italy’s Central Bank and Ministry of Economic Development in Rome to discuss policies supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Representatives from the host country’s Central Bank shared their experience in financing SMEs as well as in building a standard legal framework for banking operations.

Officials from the Ministry of Economic Development suggested close coordination between banks, enterprises and relevant agencies to the development of SMEs.

Besides sharing practical experience, the hosts and guests discussed measures to fortify collaboration between the banking and financial sectors and to work towards realising the bilateral strategic partnership, which was agreed in 2013.

Vietnam’s consistent policy to deepen bilateral ties with Italy was reiterated by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung during his reception in Hanoi on January 9 for former Prime Minister of Italy Enrico Letta.-VNA