State President Nguyen Minh Triet has highly valued efforts and achievements made by the garment-textile and leather-footwear sectors in maintaining market and export value amidst the global economic crisis.

During a reception for 79 outstanding firms from the two sectors in Hanoi on Oct. 30, President Triet noted that many industries were impacted by the crisis, but the garment-textile and leather-footwear sectors were “sensitive” industries, directly affected by changes in the world economic landscape.

Employing a large portion of the labour force--about two million workers-- the two sectors were clearly impacted by these changes, he said.

But, the two sectors rose to the occasion, improving their management capacity in production, business and marketing, the President stressed, adding that they quickly learned how to meet customers’ needs, and gave priority to the local market.

Since 2004, the Vietnam Garment and Textile Association and the Saigon Economic Times have coordinated to select the garment and textile sector’s “outstanding businesses”.

Starting this year, they began working with the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association and together selected the “outstanding companies of the “Vietnam garment-textile and leather-footwear sectors”./.