A forum to promote economic cooperation between Vietnam and Italy was held in Milan, Italy on September 30.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Vietnamese Embassy to Italy in conjunction with the Italian Institute of Foreign Trade, the association of industrial employers in Lombardy region ( Assolombarda), and the Milan Investment and Trade Promotion Organisation.

Participants reviewed the development of bilateral cooperation in recent years, especially after the two countries established their strategic partnership. They discussed the acceleration of setting up a joint commission on economic cooperation coordinated by Vietnam’s MoIT and Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development.

Speaking at the event, MoIT Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa said a number of Italian giants, such as the Italian national oil and gas group (ENI), Piaggio, Ariston, Bonfiglioli and Perfetti, consider Vietnam as a key destination for their plans for expanding market in the Asia-Pacific region.

She expressed her belief that the joint commission will create favourable conditions for the two sides to consult, exchange and complete the legal framework and investment and cooperation incentives.

During the forum, Italian businesses were provided with updated information on investment environment in Vietnam, and prospects for long-term economic cooperation between the two countries’ enterprises.

After the forum, the participants had a round-table discussion on topics related to the cooperation potential in the fields of energy and retail, distribution, development and investment promotion plans in the industrial sector and experience of Italian investors operating in Vietnam.

The forum is an activity to launch “Vietnam Days in Milan”, which takes place in October in order to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam-Italy bilateral relations-VNA