Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue (R) receives Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Högberg on May 11 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Economic and trade ties are a highlight of the growing Vietnam-Sweden relationship in multiple spheres, which is partly attributable to successes of Swedish businesses in Vietnam like Comvik, said Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue.
Deputy PM Hue made the statement while receiving Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Högberg and Chairman of Comvik International Vietnam AB M.A. Zaman in Hanoi on May 11.
Ambassador Högberg said the two countries boast fine relations in both partnerships and traditional ties. Sweden was the first Western European nation to set up relations with Vietnam, and the two sides will mark 50 years of their diplomatic ties in 2019.
They have good connections not only between their Governments but also between their people. The Swedish Government is committed to helping Vietnamese people to gain more benefits, he noted.
He added in 2017, bilateral trade surged by a record of 50 percent from the previous year. Swedish companies have come to and operated in Vietnam for a long time. New firms have also poured new investments into Vietnam, including those in telecommunications – a successful cooperation area between the two countries.
For his part, Zaman said Comvik has had a successfully business partnership with the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), and both share the same target of building the best new internet system in Asia.
Regarding the Vietnamese Government’s equitisation of the Vietnam Mobile Telecom Services Company (Mobifone), he said with its existing strength in technology and capital, Comvik is ready to support the Government and take part in this equitisation process.
Comvik is working to shift to 6G technology, and Sweden is the world’s leading country in this digital technology, Zaman said, adding that his firm wishes to have opportunities to invest in this field in Vietnam and turn Vietnam into a leading country in this new technology.
At the meeting, Deputy PM Hue described the business partnership between Comvik and VNPT as a successful cooperation in Vietnam’s development as well as the local posts and telecom sector. Compared to in 1990, the telecom infrastructure in the country now is much different, which is partly thanks to the Comvik – VNPT cooperation, especially in providing technical support and improving governance capacity for VNPT and Mobifone.
Welcoming Comvik’s intention to continue investing in Vietnam and participate in the equitisation of Mobifone, he said the Vietnamese Government has requested the Ministry of Information and Communications and Mobifone to prepare necessary conditions to carry out Mobifone’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2019. This IPO will attract much interest from foreign investors.
The host also took this occasion to ask Ambassador Högberg to help attract more Swedish investments into Vietnam, noting that the Vietnamese Government will create the best possible conditions while unceasingly improving the national competitiveness and the business climate to facilitate enterprises’ operations.-VNA
VNA
