Diplomatic missions help open up trade cooperation opportunities

In that spirit, the Vietnamese diplomatic agencies in China have invested in human resources to expand economic and trade cooperation between the two countries as well as their localities, said Ambassador Khoi.

First, they should thoroughly grasp all required information to update the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Industry and Trade as well as concerned localities on the situation in the host country.

Second, the embassy has regularly asked the  MoFA to touch upon more economic and trade cooperation contents between the two sides through their senior leaders' exchange visits. Third, it has actively coordinated with ministries, departments and businesses to organize business forums, said Mr Khoi.

Besides, the embassy has helped businesses inspect and identify their partners and remove difficulties in the cooperation process, the Ambassador added.

Regarding tourism cooperation, Ambassador Khoi said more Chinese people have visited Vietnam in recent years to enjoy its beautiful landscape, special cuisines and good products. A number of tourism promotion events have been held in China, bringing significant results. The number of Chinese arrivals to Vietnam grows 50% annually, ranking second only to Thailand.

Meanwhile, Ambassador to Kazakhstan Doan Thi Xuan Hien said economic diplomacy is the key to connecting businesses of the two countries.

She said many Kazakhstan businesses have asked the embassy for help in finding Vietnamese partners in the fields of their concern, adding that the two countries have great potential for investment and trade cooperation. Especially since the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) came into effect on October 5, 2016, bilateral trade between Vietnam and Kazakhstan has doubled compared to the same period of previous years, reaching more than US$500 million last year, and Kazakhstan ran a trade surplus with Vietnam for the first time.

Ambassador to South Africa Vu Van Dung said that Vietnam has conducted annual investment and trade promotion activities in the country through Cites Expo in Johannesburg.

The Vietnamese Embassy has assisted domestic businesses in joining the Expo and hopes that the two countries will exchange high-ranking visits to create more opportunities for their businesses, Dung added.

He said the diplomatic mission will protect Vietnamese businesses in case of trade disputes.

Meanwhile Ambassador to Spain Ngo Tien Dung said the embassy has provided necessary information for domestic businesses and find effective ways to help them deal with trade disputes. Seminars, business forums, and meetings create a link between Vietnamese and Spanish businesses.