PANO - More than 100 Italian and Vietnamese businesses on November 26th discussed new trends of Italian industry and equipment as well as sought cooperation opportunities in the coming time at the Vietnam-Italy Business Forum in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Le Thanh Liem (R) attending the forum

At the forum, businesses and members of the management boards of export processing zones and industrial parks in the city and in provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong exchanged information and informed one another of their updated demands.

In her speech, Italian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Carlotta Colli confirmed that Vietnam is always ideal to develop businesses in the fields of automation, information technology, services, tourism and fashion.

For Italian businesses, Vietnam is an ideal gateway for them to come closer to ASEAN market and is a potential market for investment and business development.

Italy is Vietnam’s 15th biggest importer with the annual growth of 19 percent in the 2005-2011 period and is also Vietnam’s 3rd biggest trade partners in the EU with two-way trade turnover of about €3 billion in 2013. The figure is expected to reach €3.5 billion in 2016.

Vietnam’s main exports to Italy include footwear, coffee, textile and garment products and sea products.

Translated by Mai Huong