Cooperation opportunities in trade and investment in Vietnam were the main focus of a seminar recently held in Christchurch city, New Zealand.

At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Hong Cuong briefed participants on Vietnam’s overall situation as well as prospects for cooperation in different fields between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Commercial Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy Nguyen Kim Phuong made a detailed introduction about Vietnam’s business environment, including preferential policies to attract investment, priorities to develop Vietnamese farm produce and other main products, as well as chances for economic cooperation between the two countries’ enterprises.

Participants were provided with documents on a list of projects calling for investment by 2020, and fairs and exhibitions held in Vietnam annually.

During the seminar, New Zealand enterprises, which are running business in Vietnam, shared their experience in how to work with Vietnamese partners, and to get support from the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) agency.

Vietnam is now New Zealand’s 20th largest trade partner, with two-way trade hitting 785 million USD in 2013. The figure is set to reach 1 billion USD by 2015.-VNA