In an interview with Vietnam Economic News, Argentine Ambassador to
Vietnam Claudio Ricardo Gutierrez said that the Argentine Government was
eager to further facilitate trade between Argentina and Vietnam. In the
near future, as soon as the relevant authorities of both countries
conclude their negotiations, Vietnamese seafood will gain access to the
Argentine market.
* You have been the Argentine
Ambassador to Vietnam for two months. Could you share your first
feelings about Vietnamese culture and people?
Last
year I had visited Vietnam for three weeks as a tourist. Then I found
amazing its natural beauties, the hospitality and joyfulness of its
people, as well as its distinctive and diverse culture.
Destiny brought me to this country again, now as an Ambassador. I
could verify quickly that my impressions as tourist were confirmed again
in my daily work and in my life in Hanoi. Vietnamese people are very
friendly and cooperative.
Despite the wars and
sufferings endured by the Vietnamese people in their fight against
imperialism, they could keep a positive, free of any resentment,
forward-looking spirit. It makes me surprised.
* How has the Argentine business community assessed the Vietnamese market?
The efforts of businesspeople, supported by trade promotion actions
from governments, are overcoming the obstacles to trade posed by
distance, language and cultural differences.
It is
clear that the economies of both countries are complementary to each
other. For example, Argentina is nowadays one of the main feedstuff
suppliers for the poultry and pork industries in Vietnam.
With regard to food, I see in the Vietnamese market many good
opportunities for Argentine dairy products, wines, beef, olive oil and
fruit. The quality of these Argentine products is known worldwide, and I
think Vietnamese consumers will demand them in the near future.
It is also worth mentioning pharmaceutical products, where Argentina
has labs and experts, with advanced technologies for oncological and
other complex drugs.
* However, Vietnamese-Argentine trade and investment exchange has been slow. What do you think about it?
Despite the long distance between Argentina and Vietnam as well as the
negative impacts of the international crisis, the bilateral trade
steadily increased to more than 1 billion USD in 2011. This is
remarkable, taking into account that the bilateral trade amounted to
only 30 million USD in 2000.
Imports of Vietnamese
products from Argentina rank second among Latin American countries.
Among these products, shoes, garments and rubber are the main ones.
The Argentine Government is eager to further facilitate trade between
Argentina and Vietnam. In the near future, as soon as the sanitary
authorities of both countries conclude their negotiations, Vietnamese
seafood will gain access to the Argentine market.
As
per investments, although there have been no investment flows between
both countries so far, there are a few Argentine and Vietnamese
companies, which are currently assessing investment projects. I take the
opportunity to assure potential investors that they can count on the
full support of the Argentine Embassy and certainly of the Argentine
Government.
* What advice do you want to give to Vietnamese enterprises concerning preparations to enter the Argentine market?
My advice to Vietnamese companies interested in the Argentine market
is very simple: after gathering some specific information on the market,
take a week and go to Argentina in order to meet Argentine counterparts
and look for the market opportunities on the ground.
* In your term as Argentine Ambassador to Vietnam, what is your
solution to promote cooperation in economic development, trade and
investment?
I think that mutual understanding is the
key for cooperation. Therefore, we will work hard to facilitate the
contacts between Argentine and Vietnamese institutions, companies and
people in all fields, so they have more chances of developing projects
of mutual interest.
I would be very happy if the
relationship between Argentina and Vietnam by the end of my tenure
becomes even stronger than now. By a stronger relationship I mean bigger
flows of tourists, business people and artists as well as higher trade
and investment exchanges, which are verifiable indicators that the
Argentine and Vietnamese peoples are closer.
* 2013 marks 40 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Argentina. Do you have any programme to celebrate the event?
An Argentinean Cultural Week is scheduled to be held in Vietnam in
December. It will be a good opportunity to understand more about
Argentina, its country and people. The festival has organised
performances by Argentine artists, photography, traditional costume, and
lacquer exhibitions; and lectures about Argentina throughout the week.
Before that, a Vietnam Film Week kicked off in the
Argentinean capital of Buenos Aires on September 11 to mark the 40th
anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.-VNA