Queensland’s Trade Minister Hon. Stephen Robertson

Australia’s Queensland State, with a three-fold increase in export turnover to Vietnam during recent years, has officially opened a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City.

“One of the key reasons for our decision to open a representative office in Vietnam is an increase in the number of Queensland enterprises doing business in Vietnam. Your country remained a market with high growth rate and is expected to become a strong economy in the region in the future”, Queensland’s Trade Minister Hon. Stephen Robertson told the Tuoi Tre Newspaper.

“With its strong industries, Queensland can make contributions to the development of Vietnam’s energy and infrastructure sectors. Recently, we sent trade delegations to Vietnam to study opportunities to invest in infrastructure projects in the country, such as railway, urban development and underground projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, our education organisations also saw Vietnam as a key market. The opening of a new office will help promote trade relations between Vietnam and Australia”, he added.

Reporter: You mentioned the two sides’ trade growth. Could you explain more about this?

Mr Robertson: Since the 1990s up to now, we have supplied a wide range of commodities for Vietnam’s railway sector. During the first years of this decade, we have also carried out a number of cooperation projects in agriculture, such as a dairy farming project in North Vietnam. In addition, Australian Griffith has developed projects on fruit insect extermination…

During the first six months of this year, Queensland’s export turnover to Vietnam reached around US$224.6 million, mainly coal and grain, an impressive increase over the past five years (only around US$65 million in 2005 and 2006).

Reporter: Does the representative office focus on promoting exports to Vietnam?

Mr Robertson: Many well-established firms specialising in different fields are now located in Queensland. I guess that they will assist Vietnam in promoting energy security and developing clean technology.

In addition, our office can help local companies get access to the Australian and Queensland markets alike. Queensland is considered a regional trade gateway and the State can be a launching pad for Vietnam’s potential businesses to integrate into the global market.

Source: TTO

Translated by Vu Hung