On May 28, State President Nguyen Minh Triet received a business delegation from the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry which is on a visit to Vietnam to seek opportunities for economic, trade and investment cooperation.
The visit to honours the agreement reached by President Triet and Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Saud during Mr Triet’s state visit to Saudi Arabia last April.
The Saudi business representatives said Mr Triet’s visit was an important landmark in promoting and expanding cooperative relations between the two countries.
Mr Triet’s speech at the Vietnam-Saudi Arabia Business Forum inspired Saudi entrepreneurs to learn more about the Vietnamese market.
King Abdullah Bin Abdul Saud asked the Saudi businesses to give top priority to cooperation with Vietnam.
Describing their meetings with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the delegation highlighted opportunities for cooperation with Vietnam in agriculture, tourism, the oil and gas industry, and labour. The Saudis emphasised their wish to expand labour cooperation. Currently, Saudi Arabia receives 70,000-80,000 foreign workers per month. Vietnamese workers in that country number between 15,000 and 20,000.
The Saudi entrepreneurs pointed out to Mr Triet certain snags in expanding economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries. Saudi Arabia has no direct air routes to Vietnam, which has limited trade links and labour cooperation. In addition, visa issuance, currency exchange between the Riyal and the Vietnamese Dong and education of Vietnamese workers about Saudi culture and customs are some big issues that need to be addressed in the near future, they said.
Mr Triet said Vietnam respects Saudi Arabia’s international status and hoped the delegation’s visit will open up a wealth of new opportunities for economic, trade and investment cooperation with Vietnam.
He asked the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry to set up a joint business council to give a boost to bilateral cooperation in the future.
President Triet receives Saudi business delegation
State President Nguyen Minh Triet received a business delegation from the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Source: VOV
