Opening of Belarusian-Vietnamese business forum

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko enumerated six promising areas for developing cooperation with Vietnam at the opening of the Belarusian-Vietnamese business forum on 27 June.

“The complementarity of our economies creates a solid foundation for successful interaction and cooperation. Therefore, such forums as we are holding now acquire special importance. Businessmen should communicate, and politicians should create favorable conditions for it. It is especially important for such friendly countries as Belarus and Vietnam,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.

In his words, today the two countries open new horizons of cooperation having the best prospects in the following industries: manufacturing, infrastructure and construction, development and use of natural resources, food and light industries, information, communication and advanced technologies, tourism.

Manufacturing

“Belarus is ready to continue an active transition from simple trade to industrial cooperation through technological investment, establishment of joint ventures, service and training centers,” the President stressed.

For example, assembly facilities for freight vehicles and city buses of Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark) will become operational in Vietnam in the coming months. The products of Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ trademark) which has designed a special tractor model for use in the climate of Southeast Asia are well known in Vietnam.

“We also have opportunities to develop cooperation in knowledge-intensive and high-technology sectors. Some of the Belarusian advanced companies such as Polimaster, Fidmash, Adani, Regula and others are looking into the opportunities of localizing the assembling of equipment in the industrial parks of Vietnam. We are also considering the ways to set up Belarus-Vietnam joint companies to produce polyamides, medical equipment, radiation control devices and other goods in Vietnam,” the head of state said.

Infrastructure and construction

Belarus has accumulated enough experience in designing and building various objects such as metro stations, bridges, underground walkways, social and cultural buildings.

“We see great prospects in using Belarusian construction technologies in Vietnam and are ready to share our experience. For this purpose we have recently opened a representative office of Minskmetroproject in Vietnam,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Development and use of natural resources

“Belarusian technologies for raising the reservoir recovery rate and development of brown fields can be successfully used in Vietnam. The cooperation of Belorusneft with the oil and gas corporation PetroVietnam can be an example of efficient cooperation development,” the President said.

Food and light industries

The cooperation in these fields is increasingly vibrant. A pilot project implemented jointly with the Vietnamese company Au Viet Industry to set up a joint venture to make products from Belarusian-made powdered milk is a testimony to that.

“We, in turn, suggest raising the delivery of high-quality and competitive products, including sea products, fish, rice, tea, coffee, spices, tropical fruit, to Belarus,” the Belarusian leader remarked.

Aleksandr Lukashenko encouraged Vietnamese companies to use Belarus as a promising springboard for the penetration of European markets. “There are good conditions for it and a good will of the Belarusian side,” he said.

The head of state stressed that there will be the most comfortable conditions for Vietnamese companies in Belarus. “Arrive in Belarus, make and sell products both in Belarus and in the common space of the Eurasian Economic Union. This large-scale market and logistics opportunities attributed to Belarus’ vicinity to the Baltic Sea make our projects very profitable,” the President stressed.

Information, communication and high technologies

The cooperation in this field is increasingly vibrant. “Belarus is one of European leaders in the IT industry and is a major software developer. Foranx Company, a resident company of the Belarusian Hi-Tech Park, has already had some experience of working with a number of commercial banks of Vietnam. The feedback was quite positive,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

In this context, the head of state also announced radical measures to develop the IT industry in Belarus. In his words, they will be taken in the near future.

Tourism

“Thanks to the facilitation of visa regulations, this industry has gained renewed momentum. I invite representatives of the Vietnamese tourism industry to take an active part in international specialized exhibitions and fairs in Belarus, to tell about the advantages of recreation in your country establishing mutually beneficial contacts with Belarusian firms,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In conclusion, the head of state emphasized that he agreed with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang to step up efforts to reach a $0.5 billion trade turnover between the two countries. “Of course, our joint Belarusian-Vietnamese commission will work out such approaches and a corresponding plan of action to achieve this goal. Businessmen and entrepreneurs will implement it. I would like you to fulfill the task,” the Belarusian leader said.