Government encourages Vietnam-Poland cooperation: Deputy PM

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on September 21 encouraged enterprises from Vietnam and Poland to prepare investment plans in fields of mutual interests, such as the environment, agriculture, and food processing, in order to take advantage of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which will be signed soon.

In his speech at the Vietnam-Poland Economic Cooperation seminar held as part of his visit to the Central European country, Binh underlined that the Government encourages Vietnamese firms to land investment in the fields of IT and consumption goods in Poland to break into Polish and other European markets.

Laying stress on the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries, he said that Poland is currently the largest trade partner of Vietnam in Central Europe, with two-way trade hitting a record of 1.05 billion USD in 2017.

There are already many Vietnamese businesses carrying out projects in Poland, he said, adding that the most noteworthy, worth 3 million USD, is invested by dairy giant Vinamilk.

Regarding the Vietnamese economic situation, he said that the economy grew 6.81 percent in 2017, the highest level recorded during the 2011-2017 period. Binh also introduced Vietnam’s favourable business climate, potential, international integration, and modern-day reform progress in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the seminar.

Polish participants and businesses expressed their impression at Vietnam’s socio-economic achievement over the past few years. They said that they are interested in investment opportunities in Vietnam, while speaking highly of Vietnam’s important position in their business network in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific.

They lauded concerted efforts made by the Vietnamese Government in creating a welcoming business and investment environment and affirmed their determination to expand business in the country to capitalise on opportunities brought by the EVFTA.

Meanwhile, representatives from some Polish universities said that they want to enhance student exchanges, and recommended that Polish authorities create favourable conditions for Vietnamese students wanting to pursue studies in the country.

On the occasion, Deputy PM Binh held meeting with the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in the host nation, during which he hailed their efforts in citizen protection work and contributions towards consolidating the relations between Vietnam and Poland. He said that the community, enterprises in particular, should serve as a bridge to further cooperation and friendship between the two countries. –VNA