HÀ NỘI — President Trần Đại Quang lauded external economic activities and trade promotion abroad during a meeting in Hà Nội on Thursday with 45 commercial counsellors and chiefs of Vietnamese commercial offices overseas. 

He said that in compliance with the Party and State’s external policies, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has worked closely with ministries, agencies and localities to popularise Vietnamese goods, attract foreign investment and improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese firms at home and abroad. 

According to him, the Vietnamese commercial offices abroad have helped step up exports, especially typical farm produce and fruits, towards bringing Vietnamese goods to global distribution chains and marketing trademarks of Vietnamese goods abroad. 

They have partnered with domestic and foreign agencies to successfully hold trade and investment promotion conferences and seminars, as well as business forums during high-level visits by Party and State leaders. 

The leader hailed Vietnamese commercial offices abroad as an effective bridge connecting Vietnamese entrepreneurs overseas with domestic firms, and cooperate with domestic and foreign media to argue against information unbeneficial to Việt Nam’s exported farm produce. 

The President noted that as 2018 is a core year to implement the Resolution adopted by the 12th National Party Congress and the National Assembly’s Resolution on the 2016-20 socio-economic development plan, the industry and trade sector in general and Vietnamese commercial offices abroad in particular need to stay proactive to fulfill assigned tasks. 

He asked commercial counsellors and chiefs of Vietnamese commercial offices overseas to actively grasp situations in the host countries, improve market forecast to promptly give policy recommendations to Việt Nam and help Vietnamese goods sustainably navigate foreign markets. 

They were also urged to push forward the ratification of signed new-generation free trade agreements and call on the Vietnamese business community abroad to look toward the homeland, thus contributing to national development. — VNS