Vietnam, Sri Lanka step up economic links

Vietnam and Sri Lanka need to promote bilateral economic cooperation in the future by taking full advantage of similarities between the two countries, said a senior Sri Lankan official.
Vietnam and Sri Lanka need to promote bilateral economic cooperation inthe future by taking full advantage of similarities between the twocountries, said a senior Sri Lankan official.

The SriLankan Minister for International Monetary Cooperation, Sarath Amunugamastated this during a workshop held in the capital city of Colombo onMarch 30, to explore the potential for increased economic cooperationbetween Vietnam and Sri Lanka .

Minister Amunugamaexpressed his admiration for what Vietnam has achieved during itsdevelopment and said that his country can learn a lot from Vietnam ’sexperiences.

When addressing the workshop, Vietnam’sAmbassador to Sri Lanka, Ton Sinh Thanh, highlighted the benefits sincethe Vietnamese embassy opened in Colombo one year ago, saying it hashelped bilateral economic cooperation greatly, especially after thestate-level visit to Sri Lanka by President Truong Tan Sang in Octoberlast year.

Thanh also pointed out the difficulties andchallenges that officials, economists and businesses will need to facetogether to seek solutions.

He proposed that thedelegates discuss ways of implementing previously signed agreementsbetween the two governments as soon as possible, as well as thepreparations being made for a joint committee meeting between bothcountries scheduled to take place in Hanoi later this year.

The delegates heard 10 keynote speeches by economic analysts, especially in trade, investment and tourism.

They raised a number of proposals for holding joint-business forums,organising fact-finding tours and for improving air links, maritimetrade and banking, as well as preferential tariffs, to raise two waytrade to 1 billion USD in the near future.

The workshopattracted numerous economists from various ministries and sectors, bothchambers’ of commerce, businesses and investors from both Sri Lankaand Vietnam. /.

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