Vietnam, Bangladesh target 2 billion USD in two-way trade hinh anh 1At the event (Photo: congthuong)
 
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung and Deputy Secretary of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Commerce Jafar Uddin discussed measures to lift two-way trade to 2 billion USD during the second meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee on Trade in Hanoi on December 27.

Statistics showed that two-way trade neared 810 million USD last year, down about 10 percent from 2017. The figure topped 700 million USD in the first 11 months of this year, including 64 million USD worth of Vietnam’s imports such as pharmaceuticals, seafood, textile materials, leather and footwear, and 647 million USD worth of Vietnamese exports like cement, apparel and footwear.

Uddin said Bangladesh was the first nation in South Asia to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam over four decades ago.

Bangladesh considers Vietnam an important trade partner, he said, adding that the Bangladeshi government advocates expanding economic, trade and investment ties with Vietnam.

Both sides agreed to maintain the joint trade sub-committee mechanism, discussed ways to connect the two economies in fields of strength amid new protectionism in the world, especially in powerful countries.

They pledged to enhance trade in rice, jute, machinery and cooperation in information and communications, agriculture and tourism.

The officials also pledged to create favourable conditions for the two countries’ enterprises to collaborate and exchange goods./.
VNA