Supplier Day in Hanoi connects local exporters with US partners

Hanoi (VNA) – The Supplier Day 2019 was held in Hanoi on April 25, serving as a chance to connect Vietnamese exporters and suppliers with potential US partners.

The event was co-organised by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in Hanoi, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

More than 60 enterprises displayed products and services in the fields of electronics, metalware production, garment-textile, leather and footwear, interior decoration, wood processing, agribusiness, food & beverage, health care and tourism, among others.

The organisers said over 300 businessmen joined the business networking event to seek partnerships with US companies like GE, Hanesbrands, Coca Cola, Polaris, 3M, and Gentherm.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink said the event was a good opportunity for networking among enterprises of different sizes. It helped boost supply-demand between Vietnamese firms and foreign partners, thereby enabling domestic small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage deeper in the global supply chain, he added.

Lauding the positive growth of trade between Vietnam and the US in recent years, Kritenbrink said after Hanoi, similar events will be held in the central city of Da Nang and the southern largest economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said over the past years, the US has been Vietnam’s biggest export market and bilateral trade has kept increasing.

Vietnam has become a hub of international relations and commercial economy in the global trade system, he said, adding that the country has signed and carried out 11 free trade agreements (FTA) – the largest number in the region.

According to the official, Vietnam has also emerged as a leading attractive destination for foreign investors in the world. However, the country’s private sector still has shortcomings and weaknesses when taking part in the global value and supply chains.

Phu said the MoIT always pays attention to promoting trade with the US and assisting Vietnamese companies and business associations in studying the market and enhancing their own capacity and competitiveness.

He hoped that the AmCham and USAID would support such activities to enhance the effectiveness of the project Linked SMEs, thus helping local businesses to join the global value chain.-VNA