Hundreds of Vietnamese and Norwegian enterprises took part in the Vietnam-Norway Business Forum in Oslo on June 15.
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The Vietnam–Norway Business Forum draws the participation of leading Norwegian businesses, Oslo, Norway, June 15, 2010
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Vietnam is an investment destination where Norwegian businesses can fully exploit all their strengths in almost all fields, ranging from oil exploration, maritime industry, ship-building to clean energies, Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai remarked at the event.
Arriving in Vietnam, Norwegian businesses can enter a national market of over 85 million population, an ASEAN regional one of over 600 million, and even bigger markets shaped by the Free Trade Areas between ASEAN and China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, said Mr. Hai.
The Vietnamese and Norwegian Governments committed to favorable business environments for their enterprises and agreed that economy-trade-investment and education are the key cooperation areas.
Recently, Viet Nam re-opened its Embassy in Norway. The country and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to which Norway is a member, also agreed to set up a joint working panel to study the feasibility of a free trade agreement between the two sides.
Economic prospects
At the Forum, the host Minister of Trade and Industry Trond Giske said that the visit made by Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai and his entourage has made it clear for the Norwegian businesses to know more about Vietnam, an Asian emerging economy.
He said that Norway hopes to speed up comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.
Vietnam offers various opportunities in infrastructure development as its economy is expanding quickly, stated Mr. Henrik O. Madsen, Chief Executive Officer of Det Norske Veritas (DNV).
He urged Norwegian investors to pour money in energy projects, especially alternative and recycled energies.
Many other Norwegian businesses also took the occasion to explore opportunities in ship-building and shipping services.
On the sideline of the forum, Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai had separate meetings with representatives of some Norway’s key economic entities like Norway Maritime Exporters (NME), Umoe Mandal, and Det Norske Veritas