Visitors are looking at Lao products on display at the ongoing Laos Goods Week in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: phunuvietnam.vn) HCM City (VNA) – A workshop was held in HoChi Minh City on January 26 to seek ways to enhance trade between the city andLaos, and to connect businesses from the two sides.
The event took place thanks to the coordination betweenthe Consulate General of Laos in HCM City and the local Investment and TradePromotion Centre (ITPC).
Addressing the workshop, Lao Vice Consul Vanxay Keovilaysaid Lao enterprises see HCM City and Vietnam at large as potential markets asLaos has an advantage in supplying traditionally farmed products with no use ofchemical fertilizers and pesticides and handicrafts made from naturalmaterials. Vietnamese consumers are very fond of organic agricultural productsand handicrafts which is a good sign for Lao exporters, he noted.
As the two countries’ import and export goods arecomplementary with no direct competition with each other, they will wellsatisfy the consumers’ demand and aid production of both sides, said ITPCDirector Pham Thiet Hoa.
However, the Vietnam-Laos trade exchanges, particularlyborder trade, have remained below expectations with limited support services forimports and exports and poor transport links between the two countries, headded.
Last year, two-way trade between HCM City and Laos wasworth over 8 million USD. The city’s exports to Laos attributed 7.9 million USDto the amount.
Hoa advised the Lao side to develop standards for foodproducts exported to Vietnam in terms of food hygiene and safety and country oforigin that will help speed up the customs clearance.
The city’s retailers also suggested Lao businesses organizemore trade promotion events and increase capacity to ensure stable supply ofproducts so the two sides will be able to maintain long-term partnership.
Vietnam and Laos are looking to bring their bilateraltrade up to 5 billion USD by 2020.-VNA
VNA
