Last year, Vietnamese businesses invested in 49 projects overseas worth a combined US$1.650 billion.

The figure was released at a meeting in Hanoi on January 14 to review work in 2009 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI).

Last year, the ministry worked with local authorities to thoroughly implement the Government’s economic stimulus measures to help businesses iron out snags and accelerate production. The total import-export value reached US$56.6 billion.

Businesses applied a series of measures to corner the market through promotion campaigns, bringing goods to rural areas and organising exhibitions and fairs. They developed distribution networks and carried out new wholesale and retail models.

The ministry submitted a number of proposed measures to the Government and Prime Minister to remove difficulties for businesses and help them promote production. It also mobilised a huge amount of investment capital, helping to curb the economic downturn, generate more jobs and create a foundation for the industrial sector to achieve a high growth rate in 2010.

Source: VOV