Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong speaks at the event (Source: VNA) Pretoria (VNA) – A Vietnam – SouthAfrica business dialogue took place in Cape Town, South Africa on March 13, partof the fourth Vietnam – South Africa inter-governmental partnership forum.
Speaking at the event, Deputy ForeignMinister Nguyen Quoc Cuong said he was impressed at the number of participantsat the event, amounting to nearly 100 from Vietnamese and South African firms.
He attributed Vietnam’s attractiveness toforeign investors to its political and economic stability, integration into theworld economy via bilateral and multilateral trade agreements and improvingquality of workforce.
The Vietnamese government is striving toimprove the business environment, cooperation and trade, he said.
According to him, two-way trade of more than1 billion USD each year between Vietnam and South Africa remains modestcompared to Vietnam’s total trade in goods and services worth 450 billion USD andSouth Africa’s 230 billion USD last year. Therefore, both countries should workharder to tap the potential of bilateral cooperation.
Director for South Asia, Central Asia andSoutheast Asia at the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation‘s Asiaand the Middle East division Sindiswa Mququ said bilateral political ties havebeen growing and 25 years of diplomatic ties were marked in 2018.
As Vietnam has a trade surplus with SouthAfrica, she called for narrowing trade balance between the two nations, addingthat the Vietnamese and South African governments are willing to helpbusinesses to boost cooperation and trade via legal frameworks and removal ofbarriers.
A representative from the VietnameseMinistry of Industry and Trade briefed participants about Vietnam’s strengthsand cooperation potential in agriculture, services, tourism and apparel.
Vietnamese enterprises introduced theirsignature products and sought partners from the host country.
Participants had a chance to enjoyVietnamese coffee, coconut products and pepper.
Several South African firms expressedinterest in Vietnamese farm produce and established contacts to boosttrade.-VNA
Speaking at the event, Deputy ForeignMinister Nguyen Quoc Cuong said he was impressed at the number of participantsat the event, amounting to nearly 100 from Vietnamese and South African firms.
He attributed Vietnam’s attractiveness toforeign investors to its political and economic stability, integration into theworld economy via bilateral and multilateral trade agreements and improvingquality of workforce.
The Vietnamese government is striving toimprove the business environment, cooperation and trade, he said.
According to him, two-way trade of more than1 billion USD each year between Vietnam and South Africa remains modestcompared to Vietnam’s total trade in goods and services worth 450 billion USD andSouth Africa’s 230 billion USD last year. Therefore, both countries should workharder to tap the potential of bilateral cooperation.
Director for South Asia, Central Asia andSoutheast Asia at the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation‘s Asiaand the Middle East division Sindiswa Mququ said bilateral political ties havebeen growing and 25 years of diplomatic ties were marked in 2018.
As Vietnam has a trade surplus with SouthAfrica, she called for narrowing trade balance between the two nations, addingthat the Vietnamese and South African governments are willing to helpbusinesses to boost cooperation and trade via legal frameworks and removal ofbarriers.
A representative from the VietnameseMinistry of Industry and Trade briefed participants about Vietnam’s strengthsand cooperation potential in agriculture, services, tourism and apparel.
Vietnamese enterprises introduced theirsignature products and sought partners from the host country.
Participants had a chance to enjoyVietnamese coffee, coconut products and pepper.
Several South African firms expressedinterest in Vietnamese farm produce and established contacts to boosttrade.-VNA
VNA
