Rome (VNA) 💫– Maltese firms wish to do business with Vietnam in the fields of infrastructure, financial service, tourism and training, and many of them are ready to make inroads into the country, a Vietnamese diplomat said following a business workshop in Malta’s capital.

The workshop was held recently in Valetta by the Vietnamese Embassy for Italy and Malta and Malta’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Investment. At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy and Malta Cao Chinh Thien briefed participants on Vietnam’s door-opening policies to promote cooperation in investment, economics and trade with foreign counterparts, and Vietnam’s socio-economic development in the recent time. He highlighted fruitful development of the bilateral political and diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Malta over the last 40 years, but noted that economic connection between the two countries has yet to match the existing potential. Thien affirmed that economic and trade links will be a priority in bilateral relations in the coming time. Vietnamese Trade Counsellor Bui Vuong Anh also provided detailed information about export-import and investment between Vietnam and Malta, stressing that the two sides should strengthen connection in Malta’s fields of strength such as maritime transport, foreign trade logistics, banking-finance, and tourism service. Maltese and Italian entrepreneurs who have done business in Vietnam shared their experience in operating in the Southeast Asian nation. Earlier, Ambassador Thien and Trade Counsellor Anh had meetings with representatives from the Malta Financial Services Authority to discuss possibilities for cooperation in financial service. Becoming a member of the Europe Union in 2004, Malta is said to be a gate to Europe and North Africa for international businesses, especially in maritime, logistic and financial service. The country can be an entrepôt for Vietnamese goods before entering the EU, East-South Europe and North Africa, especially as Vietnam and the EU are expected to sign a free trade agreement in the time ahead. The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry is scheduled to organise a market-research tour to Vietnam in 2017 for Maltese businesses.-VNA