The event gathered envoys, commercial counselors and headsof Vietnam trade offices in the region.
Participants reviewed regional economic and trade trends andtheir impact on Vietnam, and discussed market development measures for the 2019– 2020 period, including studying markets and building new economic, trade andindustrial cooperation frameworks.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and TradeDo Thang Hai said Vietnam is giving priority to expanding all-around ties with regionalcountries in politics, diplomacy, economy and trade.
He added that when Vietnam joins free trade agreements withAmerican countries such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership, the Vietnam – Chile Free Trade Agreement, and the upcomingVietnam – Mercosur preferential trade agreement, the ministry and trade officesabroad must perform important tasks of proposing mechanisms and policies to capitalizeon the deals and promoting Vietnam’s entry to regional and global value chains.
Hai added that the ministry will build dynamic trade officesabroad in service of businesses.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Nguyen Hoai Duong also vowedall possible support for trade offices to fulfill their assigned tasks,contributing to reinforcing bilateral economic, trade and investment ties.
Concluding the event, Hai urged trade offices to rallyresources to help the ministry meet targets assigned by the National Assemblyand the Government for this year as well as assist firms in coping with tradeprotection measures against Vietnam’s exports.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and American countries hit58.03 billion USD last year, up 11.4 percent from 2017, 37.7 billion USD, inwhich Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus. The figure rose by 23.53 percent to35.53 billion USD in the first five months of this year, of which 26.35 billionUS was exports, up 26.71 percent, while the remaining was imports, up 17.91billion USD.
Vietnam’s major currency earners included electronics,apparel, leather and footwear, seafood, machinery, animal feed while thecountry mostly imported equipment, production materials, cotton and severalfarm produce.-VNA