Representatives of almost 40 Canadian businesses joined overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the country at a seminar on Vietnamese-Canadian trade and economic cooperation in Quebec province in Canada on September 21.

The Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Nguyen Duc Hung gave a briefing on projects looking for investment and the policies Vietnam has in place to attract foreign investment as well as the potential for cooperation between the business communities of both countries.

The economic and trade relationship between Vietnam and Canada has prospered in recent years, said the Vietnamese diplomat, adding that both nations have signed a number of agreements on economic development, trade and double taxation avoidance and are negotiating a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement (FIPPA).

The presence of a number of big Canadian conglomerates like Manulife and Talisman in Vietnam has made it clear that Vietnam is an attractive destination for other Canadian investors, said Hung.

Ambassador Hung went on to confirm that Canada was one of Vietnam’s most important and biggest trade and economic partners. With its open investment policies, the country is an extremely attractive destination for Canadian investors, he noted.

President of the Laval City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Diane Fellice said that a great number of businesses in Quebec and Canada in general are showing a keen interest in Vietnam.

She said the seminar would provide Canadian businesses with useful information on Vietnam’s market and enable them to seek out partners.

Meanwhile, President of the Overseas Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Association in Canada, Pham Van Thanh said that since its establishment in January 2006, his association has helped many Vietnamese businesses to promote their exports in Canada as well as facilitating Canadian businesses to find partners in Vietnam.

The association will send a provincial business delegation from Quebec to explore the investment environment in Vietnam this November, he said./.