FAISALABAD-The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is starting E-visa service to facilitate the business community of Pakistan, said Ambassador of Vietnam Nguyen Tien Phong.
Addressing the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) here on Saturday, he said Vietnam imported and exported many items to and from Pakistan. He appreciated the well-developed textile sector of Faisalabad and said that now it should make a new start by exploiting IT and converting this city into a Silicon Valley of textile. He said that Vietnam could give technology and start joint ventures with potential entrepreneurs.
He said Vietnam was exporting telephone, coffee, tea, black pepper and cashew nut etc but exports were hardly touching the figure of $1b. He also mentioned the unique aroma and taste of Pakistani mango and said that Pakistan should enhance its exports so that farmers could get reasonable profit.
He also mentioned the ginger which was extensively used in cooking practices. He said that Pakistan was importing only 43% of tea from Vietnam while products were better in quality as compared to its cheaper rates. He also mentioned the tourism industry in Vietnam and said: “We may help Pakistan to develop this sector with the expertise of our entrepreneurs”. Responding to a question, he said that Pakistan could export its products to ASEAN countries by adding at least 40% value addition in Vietnam. He supported the idea of exchange of bilateral trade delegations and said that he could also arrange B2B meetings with the concerned stakeholders.
About the export of beef and mutton, he said that farmers should move a formal request from the beef association so that he could open this new avenue of export for Pakistan. He said that Vietnam was manufacturing the cheapest computers which would also create new job opportunities for the IT experts. He also stressed the need for cooperation in this sector between the two countries. Earlier, President FCCI Dr Khurram Tariq, in his welcome address, said that Faisalabad was strategically located in the heart of Pakistan. “It is the third largest hub of industrial, commercial and business activities”, he said and added that the FCCI had 8300 members who represented 118 sectors and subsectors of the economy. He lauded the unprecedented growth of Vietnam and said:” We should also explore new avenues of collaboration to enhance our exports”.
A question-answer session was also held while a documentary about Vietnam was also screened. Dr Khurram Tariq presented a shield to Nguyen Tien Phong, the Ambassador of Vietnam. Later on, Nguyen Tien Phong also recorded his impressions in the FCCI visitor’s book. Senior Vice President Dr Sajjad Arshad and Vice President Haji Muhammad Aslam Bhalli also participated in the meeting in addition to other executive member