Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) receives FedEx Express' President and CEO Richard W. Smith on Thursday. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính suggested FedEx Express expand activities in Việt Nam and invest in the Long Thành International Airport in the southern province of Đồng Nai at his reception for the US-based company's President and CEO Richard W. Smith in Hà Nội on Thursday.

The Government leader said the US is an important strategic partner of Việt Nam, particularly in economy and trade. The US is currently Việt Nam's largest export market, and bilateral trade has surpassed US$100 billion for two consecutive years. In September 2023, the countries upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, creating new opportunities and momentum for cooperation across many fields.

PM Chính stated that Việt Nam is committed to improving its institutional system and policies to create a more favourable, equal, safe, stable, and transparent business climate, thus facilitating long-term, stable, and increasingly efficient investments and operations of enterprises, including those from the US like FedEx Express.

Highlighting Việt Nam’s open economy with free trade agreements involving 60 global economies and huge goods flows in the context of rapidly increasing cross-border e-commerce, the PM expressed confidence in the further growth of FedEx Express’s logistics and transport services both in Việt Nam and across the world.

For his part, Smith said after the carrier’s more than three decades in Việt Nam, the Southeast Asian country has become its key market in Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, with 36 flights to and from Việt Nam operating weekly.

The business leader said he is confident in Việt Nam’s economic growth potential and praised its investment environment. He stated FedEx Express wishes to expand its operations in the nation and maintain its logistics activities at the Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Hồ Chí Minh City.

Chính suggested that the group consider increasing the number of flights and the scale of cargo transport. He urged the company to support Việt Nam’s development of its airport and logistics networks, and expand partnerships and share expertise with Vietnamese partners in managing transport and logistics services and offering fast delivery services in global supply chains.

Informing his guest on Việt Nam’s plan to develop Long Thành into a regional and global transit hub, the leader asked the US group to assist in the construction of the airport and to expand its investment and operations there. VNS