Handicraft is one of Vietnam's main export products to Sweden. (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Sweden should cooperate inthe environmental protection and sustainable development in the context of the currentFourth Industrial Revolution, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh hassaid.
Also, the two sides should intensify the cooperation betweentheir enterprises in investment, technology renovation, the minister stressedin an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the coming officialvisit to the North European country of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Minister Anh affirmed that the Vietnam – Sweden traderelations has been established for long and developing unceasingly. However,bilateral economic and trade relations have yet to match potential.
By April, Sweden ranked 33rd among the 131countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 68 valid protects totalingover 365 million USD in capital. In the first four months of this year, bilateraltrade amounted to over 500 million USD, in which Vietnam’s exports topped 400million USD, mostly footwear, textiles, sea food, wooden furniture, handicraftproducts, computers and accessories; and main imports from Sweden included telecommunicationequipment, machinery and pharmaceutical products.
In order to boost exports to the North European market,Minister Anh suggested Vietnamese enterprises pay attention to their quality,origin traceability, social responsibility, environment protection and businessethics. He also pointed out that the scale of orders from Sweden is not large,that is why Vietnamese enterprises should accelerate the approach todistribution chains to ensure sustainable business.
The official pointed to the EU – Vietnam Free TradeAgreement as a factor that can bring about a positive impact for both Vietnamand Sweden. He also called on enterprises to join the Vietnamese Government inpushing up other governments to sign the deal at an early date, thus creating amore favourable economic – trade framework for the two countries.-VNA
VNA
