Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan has held ceremonies to hand over a decision on appointing Rizwan Fareed, a respected businessman in Lahore with a deep affection for Vietnam, as Honorary Consul and to inaugurate the Vietnamese Honorary Consul's Office in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Pakistan Pham Anh Tuan congratulated Fareed on his appointment as the first honorary consul of Vietnam in Pakistan, marking a new milestone in the expansion of Vietnam’s diplomatic network in Pakistan, contributing to enhancing political, economic, cultural cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.
The ambassador expressed his confidence that Fareed’s credibility, capability, and enthusiasm would serve as an effective extension of the embassy’s efforts to promote trade, investment, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and support for Vietnamese citizens in the region.
Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan hailed the appointment, highlighting Pakistan as a potential investment destination thanks to its administration’s current initiatives and policies designed to attract foreign capital. He also acknowledged Vietnam’s impressive economic achievements in recent years. Khan urged Pakistan's business community to strengthen cooperation and trade with Vietnamese partners, aiming for mutual growth that would benefit both businesses and nations alike.
For his part, Fareed expressed his profound gratitude to the Government and people of Vietnam for entrusting him with this esteemed role. He pledged to leverage all available opportunities, his experience, and existing networks to further develop Vietnam-Pakistan relations in the areas of economy, trade, culture, and citizen support, thereby contributing to the deepening of the long-standing friendship between the two nations.
The same day, the ambassador attended the inauguration of the Vietnamese Honorary Consul's Office in Lahore, a dynamic economic hub of Pakistan. The new office will serve a range of important functions, including assisting Vietnamese citizens in need, promoting trade and tourism, and facilitating cultural and educational exchanges. The establishment of the honorary consul's office aligns with the global trend of countries expanding their consular representation to enhance coverage and contribute more significantly to the economic development and friendship between their people.
As part of his trip to Lahore, Tuan also had a meeting with leaders of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), one of Pakistan's largest and most dynamic business chambers.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad proposed a vision to increase bilateral trade to 5 billion USD by expanding market access and leveraging Vietnam’s strategic position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). While Pakistan mainly exports corn, cotton fabric, leather, and yarn, Vietnam exports electronics, synthetic fibres, natural rubber, and tea. Shad called for diversification into sectors such as seafood, processed meat, pharmaceuticals, fruits, vegetables, and further exploration of information technology and tourism.
At this event, the ambassador also announced that Vietnam and Pakistan are preparing to negotiate a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), which will lay the groundwork for a future free trade agreement, which is expected to contribute to the sustainable and effective development of economic and trade relations between the two countries./.
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