President Võ Văn Thưởng receives representatives from the US-APEC Business Coalition in San Francisco, the US, on November 15. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

SAN FRANCISCO, US — President Võ Văn Thưởng had a working session with representatives from the US-APEC Business Coalition on November 15, as part of his ongoing US trip to attend the APEC Leaders’ Week and bilateral activities in San Francisco.

The event drew Ted Osius, President & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council, along with representatives from dozens of major businesses of the US.

Representatives from US firms hailed the achievements and development potential of the Vietnamese economy, and showed their interest in seeking investment opportunities and expanding business in Việt Nam.

They gave recommendations on areas Việt Nam needs to improve to lure more foreign investors, including strengthening investment in the airport system and hard and digital infrastructure system, speeding up the application of electronic customs clearance, and exerting more efforts in realising policies regarding digital transformation and one-touch payment.

President Thưởng updated US businesses and investors on Việt Nam’s policies and orientations in economic development, highlighting that the US has been Việt Nam's important trade partner.

Việt Nam is working hard to improve its investment environment, creating more favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the US to effectively operate in the country, benefiting themselves and the Vietnamese people, the leader said.

He underlined that Việt Nam always listens to the voice of US businesses on their operation in Việt Nam, and held that the upgrading of the Việt Nam-US relations into a comprehensive strategic partnership is a chance for US businesses to strengthen collaboration with the Vietnamese peers, especially in the fields of the US’ strength.

Việt Nam encourages programmes and projects to care for women and children as well as people in far-flung areas, and stands ready to listen to new ideas and policy recommendations from US enterprises, stated the President.

He said that his entourage to San Francisco includes leaders of some Vietnamese localities with great potential and advantages, suggesting US firms explore investment opportunities in these localities.

Thưởng said he hopes US firms will contribute their voices to persuade the US administration to soon recognise Việt Nam’s market economic mechanism and remove it from the list of semiconductor support restrictions to create favourable conditions for cooperation programmes and projects between the two sides. — VNS