Colombo (VNA) – A delegation of ASEAN embassies in Sri Lanka, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia, recently visited Kandy city to expand trade, investment and tourism ties between the bloc and the South Asian country.
The trip came as Vietnam chairs the ASEAN Embassies Group in Colombo.
During the visit, the delegation met Governor of the Central Province Harsha Suranga Fernando and local authorities, agencies and business representatives in Kandy. It also toured a handicraft and local product exhibition to explore production potential, traditional industries and ways to spread local specialties.
The centrepiece was “An Evening with Diplomats” hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Central Province of Sri Lanka (CCICP).
Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam underscored the long-standing friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and Sri Lanka and pointed to room for more economic, trade and investment ties.
ASEAN countries, with strategic geographic locations, big markets and growing production capacity, can share experience and strengths with Sri Lanka in processing, electronics, agriculture, food, tourism and export manufacturing, she said.
She called for stronger business links, more market information exchange and conditions for companies on both sides to find partners, expand operations and capture cooperation opportunities.
Sri Lanka Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe said Sri Lanka wants more experience exchanges and development lessons from ASEAN, especially in industrial policy, competitiveness, small and medium-sized enterprises, export market expansion and foreign investment attraction.
ASEAN ambassadors shared development experience and presented each country’s models, policies and strengths in tourism, modern agriculture, digital technology and processing. That helped local businesses gain more information on ASEAN market potential, demand and access opportunities.
Tam and other ASEAN ambassadors said Sri Lanka’s reforms, economic stabilisation and business climate improvements are producing positive results and opening recovery and growth prospects. They stressed that a stable, transparent policy environment, stronger competitiveness and deeper global integration are important for enhancing investor confidence./.
