During the first working day on September 11, the ministerdelivered a speech at the Russia – ASEAN discussion session. He said Vietnamnow has trade ties with nearly 220 countries worldwide with total value worth425 billion USD and average gross domestic product per capita of roughly 2,400USD. In the first seven months of this year, the Vietnamese economy grew byover 7 percent. The country has attracted a total 334 billion USD of foreigndirect investment from 129 countries and territories worldwide.
With political stability, constantly improving businessenvironment, competitive costs, upgraded transport infrastructure, numerous businessincentives, a golden population, promising market and widespread globalintegration, Vietnam has become an attractive and strategic destination forforeign investors, he said.
In recent years, Vietnam has actively invested abroad,mostly in ASEAN member states. Besides, Russia accounts for 13 percent ofVietnam’s outbound investment, ranking third among 75 countries and territorieswith Vietnamese investment.
Dung said Vietnam now invests in 23 projects worth nearly2.9 billion USD in Russia, mostly in oil and gas exploration,telecommunications, shopping malls, agriculture, milch cow farming and milkprocessing.
The minister affirmed that Vietnam wants to continuepromoting investment in traditional markets such as Russia and ASEAN. AsVietnam was the first country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with the EurasianEconomic Union (EAEU), which took effect on October 5, 2016, he said economicties between Russia and Vietnam, and between EAEU and Vietnam will continue to thrivein the near future.
Vietnam will help Russia expand ties with ASEAN EconomicCommunity – a dynamic market with a population of over 600 million people andgross domestic product of around 2.5 trillion USD, he said.
Minister Dung said the freshly-concluded visit to Russia by GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong broughtnew opportunities for Vietnam-Russia ties to reach a new high. During meetings aspart of the Vietnamese Party leader’s visit, both sides vowed to createfavourable conditions for their business communities to cooperate in energy,oil and gas, agriculture, urban transport infrastructure, information andtelecommunications.
Dung expressed his belief that on the back of Vietnam –Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnamese firms will invest morein Russia in general and the Far East in particular, and bilateral trade willincrease in the near future.
At the forum, the Vietnamese minister was updated aboutRussian government’s investment incentives in the Far East such as taxreduction and waive, land support policy, Aqaba Special Economic Zone developmentand free seaport mechanism in Vladivostok which holds potential of attractinginvestment in energy, infrastructure, agro-forestry, technology.
The three-day event attracted delegates from 60 countriesworldwide. The Vietnamese delegation delivered speeches in severalsessions.-VNA