Business and investment opportunities in Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic were discussed at a video talk held on May 29 by the Foreign Ministry, the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and Asia House - a UK centre of expertise on trade, investment and public policy in Asia.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son speaks at the talk (Photo: VNA)

The event saw the presence of Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Asia House Chief Executive Michael Lawrence, and business executives from around 40 UK groups and major enterprises such as HSBC, De La Rue, KPMG, Prudential, and Standard Chartered.

The talk is a valuable chance to connect UK businesses and Vietnamese Government agencies, said Son, adding that it helps popularise information about policies and increase cooperation opportunities in the context of the two countries taking drastic measures to control the COVID-19 and recover their economies.

He told participants that Vietnam is working on a “dual target” of disease prevention and economic recovery and development, with a hope for a 5% economic growth this year.

The Government has taken urgent measures to boost production and business, and improve the investment environment, especially Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s decision to set up a special working group on post-COVID-19 investment promotion, he stated.

The Government official stressed that Vietnam and the UK can further develop their strategic partnership, particularly in economics and trade, given opportunities brought by Brexit.

He also suggested UK investors seize opportunities brought about by Vietnam’s post-COVID-19 economic and trade incentives, the shifting of the supply chain from other countries to Vietnam, and the enforcement of new-generation free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

At the talk, UK businesses showed their interest in the bilateral cooperation, investment opportunities, and Vietnam’s new trade and investment promotion policies.