FM spokesperson emphasises protection of Vietnamese enterprises' legitimate interests

Processing cashew nuts for export. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has spoken about actions taken by the Government to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese enterprises in the suspected cashew nut export scam involving 100 containers of Vietnamese cashew nuts exported to Italy.

At the ministry’s regular press conference held virtually on March 17, Hang said most recently, on March 14, the Prime Minister had directed ministries and sectors to urgently coordinate with the Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) to examine and clarify the reasons of the case with a view to taking measures to assist businesses and people involved, and ensure their interests.

Immediately after receiving Vinacas’ notice on the suspected scam, the Ministry of Foreign Affair (MoFA) directed the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy to contact owners of the ships transporting the cashew nuts. The embassy also sent officials to Italian cities of Genova and Napoli to verify the information.

The embassy sent a diplomatic note to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economic Development, police, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and other competent agencies, requesting a quick investigation into the case and necessary measures taken to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese enterprises.

According to the spokesperson, the embassy and the Vietnamese Trade Office in Italy have talked to the involved Vietnamese businesses and the Vinacas to discuss specific solutions. They suggested the exporters contact the international economic court and the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre to ask for their intervention in stopping the delivery of goods to the suspicious buyers, hence minimising losses for the Vietnamese firms.

Hang said following the direction of the Prime Minister, the MoFA will continue to coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to shed light into the case, actively support domestic enterprises in solving it, and ensure the maximum safety for transactions between Vietnamese and Italian enterprises in the time to come.

Vietnamese exporters are at risk of losing hundreds of millions of USD in the suspected cashew nut scam in which they have not received any payment as agreed for the shipment of 100 containers of cashew nuts to Italy./.

VNA