VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted separate receptions in the central city of Da Nang on November 7 for corporate executives from the US, China and multinational corporations who are in Vietnam to attend the Vietnam Business Summit (VBS) and events within the framework of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and CCPIT Vice Chairman Chen Zhou (Source: VNA)

Receiving a Chinese business delegation led by Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Chen Zhou, PM Phuc asked CCPIT to actively coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and agencies, especially the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), to boost Vietnam-China economic ties. 

He suggested CCPIT encourage Chinese firms to import more Vietnamese goods such as agro-forestry-aquatic products, and invest in large-scale infrastructure and transport projects using high technologies. 

Chen spoke highly of Vietnam’s business climate, adding that Chinese enterprises will choose Vietnam as a destination to expand operations and seek joint-venture opportunities. 

Meeting with President of the US National Centre for APEC (NCAPEC) Monica Whaley, the PM wished that NCAPEC will contribute to bilateral ties by facilitating trade and investment and technology transfer. 

Whaley, for her part, said US firms highly value Vietnam’s efforts to build policies to fully tap achievements of the fourth industrial revolution and want to do long-term business and seek opportunities in the country. 

In a reception for President of Exxon Mobil Development Liam Mallon, PM Phuc expressed his wish that Exxon Mobil and US enterprises will actively contribute to discussions at APEC events and raise voice to boost regional economic connectivity. 

Mallon praised Vietnam for its successes in attracting more and more foreign investors and wished to do long-term business in the country. 

In a meeting with Martin Nordenstahi, who is in charge of Asia Division of Abbott, PM Phuc called on Abbott to transfer technologies used in medicine and pharmaceuticals to Vietnam and encouraged its collaboration in food safety, adding that the government’s administrative reform consulting group will acquire Abbott’s feedback to reform administrative procedures in food safety and public health care. 

Nordenstahi said Abbott’s subordinate companies are keen on expanding operations in Vietnam and committed to assisting the country in building an open and friendly business environment via policy-making consultation. 

Talking with Global Chairman of Pricewaterhouse & Coopers (PwC) Robert E.Moritz, the Vietnamese leader hoped that PwC will introduce Vietnam’s economy to global business community, connect Vietnamese and foreign enterprises, and share experience to fine-tune Vietnam’s accounting and audit system up to global standards. 

As Vietnam is restructuring its economy in combination with renewing growth model and improving competitiveness, it puts focus on the restructuring of public investment, State-owned enterprises and banking-credit system, he said. 

Vietnam is also accelerating equitisation of SOEs, including corporations operating in the fields of aviation, telecommunications and infrastructure, thus affording domestic and foreign investors chances to become strategic stakeholders, PM Phuc noted.

Moritz extolled Vietnam’s socio-economic reform efforts and suggested that Vietnam should pay attention to narrowing the wealth gap and increasing connectivity among businesses, the people and authorities at all levels. 

PwC will assist Vietnam in improving its business climate so that the country could become more attractive to foreign investors, he said.

Source: VNA