Trade promotional activities should focus on enhancing the export of key Vietnamese products and the consumption of local products in home markets, according to the Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

He noted that the activities should be undertaken under the programme, "Vietnamese people give priority to using Vietnamese goods."

At a ceremony to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) in Hanoi on July 6, Hai highly appreciated Vietrade for accomplishing tasks assigned by the Government and MOIT in the past 15 years and contributing to the national economic development and international integration.

Hai expressed his hope that in the coming time, the agency would continue to complete its tasks and help the Government and ministry to build efficient policies on enhancing trade promotional activities at home and abroad.

Trade promotional activities should provide market information, including forecast on market demand, for enterprises and improve the quality of its staff to meet the demands of the domestic economy, he remarked.

The agency should closely cooperate with foreign organisations to increase the efficiency of its promotional activities in the future.

Between 2010 and 2014, the National Trade Promotion Programme launched by Vietrade attracted the participation of more than 21,000 enterprises that earned over 46 million USD and 5.3 billion USD in export contracts and sales, respectively.

Thanks to Vietrade, many Vietnamese products are now present in large markets, including the US, the EU, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Middle East, among others.

Vietrade's trade promotional activities in Vietnam and abroad have received wide support from the people and enterprises, especially at events such as trade fairs, workshops, exhibitions, exchanges, as well as training courses for enterprises and others.

Bui Huy Son, Head of Vietrade, said sources for the national trade promotion programme had been limited, but programme had partly managed to improve the competitive ability and development of local enterprises and their brand names.

Lee Kyu Seon, Director-General of the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency in Hanoi, said over the past 15 years, Vietrade had efficiently held trade promotional activities, including international trade exhibitions such as Expo and Foodexpo, attracting many Korean organisations and enterprises. Through these international exhibitions, enterprises and organisations had promoted the commercial relations between enterprises in both countries.

Meanwhile, Atsusuke Kawada, Chief Representative of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), said since the establishment of Vietrade, the agency and Jetro had been regularly exchanging views on trade and investment, apart from organising meetings between enterprises in Vietnam and Japan. The two agencies have also organised annual exhibitions to encourage Vietnam's support industry.

He expected the two agencies to have more intensive cooperation in the future and contribute to the development of the economic cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

Saigon Trading Corporation and Kinh Do Limited Company said local enterprises had promoted their brand name and products at Vietrade's trade promotional activities, especially trade fairs.

At the ceremony, the Deputy PM presented the Labour Order first class to Vietrade in recognition of its achievements and contributions to the nation over the past 15 years.

Vietrade was established on July 6, 2000, in accordance with Government Decision No.78/2000/QD-TTG, which is directly under the MOIT.-VNA