Vietnam regards Poland as a gateway for exporting its products to other European countries, said an official from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on Nov. 17.

Speaking at a meeting between Vietnamese and Polish businesses in Hanoi to boost bilateral economic and trade relations, Deputy Director of VCCI's International Relations Department Nguyen Ngoc Thang, said that the economic structures in both countries can supplement each other and that this will help to step up economic and trade links between both countries.

Wojciech Gerwel, Commercial Counsellor to the Polish Embassy in Vietnam , revealed that the Polish Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Vietnam next year to coincide with the 60 th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

This will be an excellent opportunity for both to further their bilateral relationship in terms of trade and economics, Gerwel added.

Participants at the meeting recommended various measures to boost bilateral trade and economic ties, including finalising the negotiations on agreements to protect and encourage investments, stepping up exchanges by trade missions from both countries to conduct market research, increasing trade promotions and creating favourable conditions for businesses to seek out investment opportunities in each others country.

The trade value between Vietnam and Poland is expected to be in excess of 500 million USD this year in comparison with 400 million USD in 2008 and 350 million USD in 2007. Vietnam exports garments, farm produce and foodstuffs to Poland while importing milk powder, pharmaceuticals and machinery for the coal, steel and shipbuilding industries/.