April 04, 2017 | 22:14 (GMT+7)
Vietnam, Italy stand chances to boost trade cooperation
PANO – The Business Forum themed “Italy - Asia: Doing business together” was held on April 4 in Hanoi. Speaking at a press conference held a day before the event, Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Piccioni said that Vietnam is located in a very important location in Asia and the Vietnam-Italy relations have been flourishing at its best at present. That is the reason for Italy to choose to hold the business forum in Vietnam.
Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Piccioni (right)
Also according to Ambassador Cecilia, the two-way trade relations between Vietnam and Italy have seen remarkable achievements and sustainable development (increasing 10 fold in 10 years), reaching USD 4.6 billion in 2016. Investment from Italy in Vietnam increased by USD 360 million in 2016 with 78 projects. According to figures from Vietnam’s customs sector, Italy is the eighth trade partner of Vietnam and stands at the fourth place among Vietnam’s partners from the European Commission as well as the second largest EU exporter into Vietnam. Major items exported into Vietnam include machinery, leather products, electronic appliances.
Ambassador Cecilia expressed the belief that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will have been in effect by 2018, serving as a launching pad for the development of the Vietnam-EU and Vietnam-Italy relations.
Speakers at the event introduced the market trends and business opportunities for both Italian and Vietnamese enterprises, serving as an important chance for businesses in Vietnamese localities to enter the Italian market and other Asian markets via the Italian chambers of commerce in the region.
Translated by Huu Duong