Slovakian Deputy Minister of Economy Pavol Pavlis has said his
Government prioritises the development of trade and economic cooperation
with Southeast Asian countries, especially Vietnam , one of its
important trade partners.
Speaking at the
Vietnam-Slovakia Business Forum in Hanoi on April 11, Pavlis said
his country possesses strengths in the defence industry, military
technology, energy, food, finance, banking, plastic manufacturing,
construction, mineral exploitation, information technology and
petrochemistry.
Doan Duy Khuong, Deputy Director of
the Vietnam Chamber of Industry and Commerce (VCCI), said with 60 years
of diplomatic ties and similarities in economic structure, political
stability and market attraction, Vietnam and Slovakia have
abundant potential to develop their trade ties in a deep and broad
manner.
Vietnam , an official member of the World
Trade Organisation (WTO), can serve as a door for Slovakia ’s
products to penetrate the ASEAN market. On the other hand, Slovakia ,
a member of the European Union, can help Vietnamese goods enter the EU
market as well as Eastern European countries, Khuong said.
According to Ho Thi Kim Thoa, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade,
bilateral trade cooperation between Vietnam and Slovakia has yet
to match the potential and aspirations of both countries.
Two-way trade between the countries reached only 300 million USD in
2012. Vietnam primarily exports electronic goods, footwear, garments
and textiles to Slovakia .
As of the end of 2012,
Slovakian businesses had five projects in Vietnam with a total
registered capital of 235 million USD, ranking 31 out of 98 foreign
investors in Vietnam .
The forum, jointly
organised by VCCI, Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, Slovak
Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO Slovakia) and the
Slovakian Embassy in Vietnam, is expected to create opportunities for
businesses from both sides to find partners, boosting bilateral economic
cooperation between the two countries in the future.-VNA