Vietnamese and Belarusian enterprises in food and agriculture gathered at a business meeting in Hanoi on May 14.

Co-organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Belarusian Embassy in Vietnam , the event opened opportunities for enterprises of the two countries to seek partnerships and expand business links.

At the meeting, many major Belarusian enterprises expressed their hope to cooperate with and purchase peanuts, cashews, coffee and cacao from Vietnam .

VCCI’s Deputy Head of the International Relations Department Nguyen Vu Kien said enterprises of the two sides could benefit from bilateral preferential schemes.

Belarus companies could export food and beverage products to Vietnam and Vietnamese companies could expand their traditional agricultural, footwear and aquaculture products to the European country.

He highlighted that Vietnam will create the best possible conditions for enterprises from both sides.

In return, Belarusian Ambassador to Vietnam Sadokho Valery said economic and trade relations have not met their full potential, though Belarus has imported several products from Vietnam including tea, rice, and seafood.

Belarus is strong in chemistry, petrochemistry, automobiles and hi-technology but exports to Vietnam in those fields are still modest, he added.

Vietnam concluded negotiations for a free trade deal with the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Custom Union in late 2014, which is expected to boost cooperation and investment between the two countries.-VNA