Dialogue forum with overseas businessmen on investment and trade

DNHN - On the afternoon of March 4, 2022, the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand, the Trade Promotion Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) and the Foreign Investment Department (Ministry of Planning and Investment) organized a forum for dialogue with overseas businessmen on investment and trade in the form of face-to-face and online.

Speaking at the opening of the Forum, Mr Phan Chi Thanh, Ambassador of Vietnam to Thailand said:”Vietnam's economic cooperation relationship with Thailand, in particular, is advancing positively. Thailand is the eighth largest investor in Vietnam, out of 140 nations and territories. Thailand's major investors view Vietnam as a prospective market and all have intentions to increase their investment in the country. However, Thai overseas Vietnamese firms' investment projects in Vietnam remain fairly low”. 

Mr Phan Chi Thanh also expressed the Ambassador's hope that, through this Forum, abroad Vietnamese firms would have a better understanding of Vietnam's trade and investment development policies.

Mr Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Department of Trade Promotion, and Mr Vu Van Chung, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Investment, delivered presentations on policies to promote trade, attract investment, and provide orientation to overseas businessmen during the Forum; and chaired an online dialogue session with overseas businessmen to provide information on policies and answer questions about trade and investment.

Mr Phan The Tuan, Vice Chairman of Bac Giang Province's People's Committee, and Mr Tran Ngoc Tinh, Deputy Director of Kien Giang Province's Department of Planning and Investment, briefed the delegates on the cooperation between overseas Vietnamese and local businesses to boost Vietnamese exports to overseas markets as well as domestic investment prospects.

Mr Ho Van Lam, Chairman of the All-Thailand Vietnam Business Association, and Mr Luong Xuan Hoa, Vice Chairman of the All-Thailand Vietnamese Association, spoke on behalf of overseas Vietnamese merchants. Overseas Vietnamese people in Thailand are collaborating on economic ventures, bringing Vietnamese products to the Thai market, and increasing foreign investment in Vietnam, particularly in the service and tourist industries.

Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu expressed heartfelt appreciation for the delegates' contributions and desired that our people overseas would continue to consume, promote, and distribute Vietnamese products in the host nation. Particularly in key markets for Vietnamese goods, markets with which we have signed free trade agreements and where a large number of overseas Vietnamese live, we are closely monitoring the country's development and looking for investment opportunities to cooperate, particularly in green and sustainable investment, industrial development, high technology, new technology application, and innovation, all of which contribute to the construction of the homeland.

Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu also expressed the expectation that ministries, branches, and localities would continue to support overseas Vietnamese work by the State Council's Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW of June 12, 2021. Politburo, promoting a more advantageous and friendlier investment, manufacturing, and economic environment for the abroad Vietnamese community.

Mai Anh