People make shoes at Hà Tây Chemical Weave Company Limited in Hoài Đức District, Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo Trần Việt

HÀ NỘI — More than 300 domestic manufacturers and suppliers took part in the AmCham Supplier Day 2019 to seek trade co-operation opportunities with US firms in Hà Nội on Thursday.

The event was jointly organised by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the American Chamber of Commerce in Việt Nam (AmCham) and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). It was attended by businesses from various areas and industries exhibiting and products and services such as electronics, metals, textiles, footwear, furniture and processing, auto parts, agricultural business, food and beverage processing, transportation and warehousing, healthcare and travel.

The businesses met top companies from the US including GE, Hanesbrands, Coca Cola, Polaris, 3M and Gentherm.

US Ambassador in Việt Nam Daniel J.Kritenbrink said the Supplier Day was a good opportunity to connect big and small businesses, promoting the supply-demand relationship among Vietnamese businesses and foreign enterprises, contributing to helping small- and medium-sized Vietnamese firms to participate in the global value chain.

Kritenbrink said the event would move to Đà Nẵng and HCM City. 

Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Trade Promotion Department Vũ Bá Phú said the US had been Việt Nam’s largest export market in the past year.

Phú said Việt Nam had become a hub for international relations and commercial economics in the global trade network. Việt Nam had emerged as a country with one of the highest numbers of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) in the region with 11 FTAs signed and put into practice.

 “Việt Nam has become a top destination to attract foreign investment from around the world, but the private sector still faces many limitations and disadvantages,” Phú said.

He said the Ministry of Industry and Trade focused on the US market and trade promotions to build relations between the two countries. The ministry had also created conditions for associations and enterprises to implement trade promotions.

The ministry had also promoted activities to help Vietnamese enterprises access information, research and analysis to facilitate access to and penetrate the US market, in addition to a series of programmes to raise competitiveness and awareness and enhance the skills of Vietnamese businesses in areas such as design, construction and brand development.

“We would like to co-ordinate with AmCham and USAID to promote these activities to support the efficiency of SMEs, helping them participate in the global value chain,” Phú said. — VNS