The Chamber of Commerce of Italy (Icham) will open a representative office in Hanoi with the aim of promoting cultural exchange and trade relations between the two countries’ businesses.

A licence-granting ceremony was held by the Hanoi People’s Committee and Icham in Vietnam (Icham Vietnam) on November 16.

Addressing the ceremony, Icham Chairman Tomaso Andreatta underlined the significance of the office in expanding Icham Vietnam’s business network, especially in the context that trade and diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Italy have increased remarkably in both volume and value in recent years.

He also expressed his hope that the two-way trade between the two countries would increase further in future.

Meanwhile, Can Viet Anh, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee stressed that the office will open up new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries’ businesses.

He pledged to create favourable conditions for Italian enterprises in Vietnam, contributing to boosting two-way trade turnover and the two countries’ development.

Icham has gained many achievements since its founding two years ago with over 40 member companies, representing both large and small Italian companies in Vietnam.

Recently, Icham has held a number of conferences and meetings on doing business in Vietnam, helping to increase cooperation among its members and with other chambers of commerce.

Icham members account for almost 90 percent of small and medium-sized Italian companies which share similar challenges with Vietnamese businesses such as labour shortage and limited financial resources, and require great effort, creativeness and innovation to succeed./.