Addressing the Vietnam-Portugal business dialogue held on June 3 involving representatives from 80 Vietnamese and 40 Portuguese businesses, Dung emphasised that Vietnam has obtained significant socio-economic achievements with an average growth of 7.5% in the 1991-2010 period. From an underdeveloped country, Vietnam became a middle income nation in 2010.
Dung added that 101 countries and territories have invested in Vietnam and more than 100 world leading multinational groups are operating in the country. Last year, the country ranked 9th in the world in terms of investment attraction, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) survey.
PM Dung briefed the participants on the results of the talks with his counterpart Pedro Passos Coelho. The two sides agreed to boost bilateral trade value from US$350 million in 2014 to US$1 billion in the coming years.
He revealed that the Portuguese President and PM both affirmed to support Vietnam’s early signing of a free trade agreement with the EU.
Portuguese Deputy PM Paulo Portas in turn hailed Vietnam as a rising star among developed economies in Asia and hoped that the Vietnamese delegation’s visit and the dialogue between the two countries’ businesses will open more opportunities to elevate bilateral cooperation.
At the dialogue, PM Dung and Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh answered questions from Portuguese firms on Vietnam’s investment environment and opportunities.
At an interview with a VOV correspondent, Fernondo Silva, Area Sales Manager at Grupel SA, said the dialogue provided a good chance for Portuguese businesses to boost cooperative ties with Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.