A group of 50 representatives of Taiwanese enterprises paid a working visit to Ho Chi Minh City on November 6 to seek opportunities in trade and investment.

Most of the firms produce machinery, industrial and medical equipment, construction materials, automobile and motorcycle components, telecommunications, domestic appliances, cosmetics and food.

Jeff Hou, Director of the Exhibition Department of Taiwan (China)’s External Trade Development Council (Taitra), considers Vietnam as Taiwan’s key partner in the region. Taiwan has undertaken efforts to promote bilateral trade and investment ties, which has helped attract an increasing number of Taiwanese investors to Vietnam over the past five years, he said.

He added that the group was not only to meet with local distributors, retailers and other business partners, but also to seek opportunities to invest directly in the country, particularly in strengths in the production of machinery, industrial equipment, rubber, clothing and footwear in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to John Tang, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Representative Office of Taitra, this trip provided a chance for the two business communities to introduce their respective products, receive up-to-date information on each other’s activities and find new suppliers.

He suggested Vietnamese enterprises promote trade and investment with Taiwan by increasing their presence at trade fairs and exhibitions with a focus on food production and the garment industry.

Vietnam is currently top of the list of destinations for Taiwanese investments in Southeast Asia and is ranked as the island’s 13 th biggest trade partner.

Bilateral trade between the two sides is expected to hit 9.8 billion USD by the end of 2014.-VNA