Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador toTurkey Tran Quang Tuyen met more than 10 member enterprises of the Foreign Economic RelationsBoard of Turkey (DEIK)’s Turkey-Vietnam Business Council as part of his recentworking tour to Istanbul.

The enterprises have invested or planto invest in Vietnam in energy, construction, trade, exhibition,telecommunications, real estate, interior decoration and medical equipment.

At the meeting, the ambassador thanked the DEIK andits members for their support in promoting economic-trade ties between the twosides, especially in the success of the Vietnam-Turkey Business and InvestmentForum in Istanbul during the visit of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen ThiKim Ngan in October this year.

Ambassador Tuyen said that over the past 10 years,trade between the two countries has grown 13 times to nearly 3 billion USD in2017.

He said cooperation potential between the two sides ishigh, stressing that the Vietnamese Government always works with foreigninvestors, including those from Turkey, to facilitate their projects.

He expressed his hope that Turkish firms will visitVietnam to explore the market, while calling for the businesses’ engagement inareas of Vietnam’s priorities, including infrastructure, agriculture, greenenergy, public heath, tourism and high technology.

The diplomat pledged that the Vietnamese Embassy inTurkey is always willing to connect Turkish firms with Vietnamese partners andsupport them in seeking opportunities in Vietnam.

The Turkish firms described Vietnam as a broad andpromising market, and a gateway for them to reach Southeast Asian markets.

They expressed their hope to receive more support in applyingfor visas to Vietnam.

During his stay in Istanbul, Ambassador Tuyen also metwith Travelshop, Rep Kaucuk and Turkish Airlines to explore their plans toinvest in Vietnam.

Bilal Eksi, Deputy Chairman and CEO of Turkish Airlines said due to rising demand, the firm plans to doublethe number of flights from Istanbul to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to 14 flightsper week after September 2019, and to 28 flights per week in the future.

He showed his desire to sign morecooperation agreements will Vietnamese carrier Vietnam Airlines – a firm with arising number of routes to European region.-VNA