COPENHAGEN — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has called on Danish businesses to be more active in contributing ideas to policy-making in Việt Nam, while promoting their role in fostering the partnership between Việt Nam and Denmark.

He made the call at a high-level roundtable with Vietnamese and Danish enterprises in the fields of green growth, seaport, logistics and high technology, which was held in Copenhagen on October 20 as part of the PM’s ongoing visit to Denmark.

The Vietnamese Government leader briefed the Danish firms on the potential and advantages of Việt Nam, such as its young labour force, rapid IT and telecommunications development, and high GDP growth, as well as the country’s intensive international integration as seen in its engagement in 16 new-generation free trade agreements.

He noted that currently Việt Nam was hosting more than 130 Danish enterprises, but the figure had yet to meet the potential of the Việt Nam-Denmark comprehensive partnership. Phúc stressed that the Government of Việt Nam encouraged and created optimal conditions for Danish firms to invest in Việt Nam, especially in maritime transportation, ship building, renewable energy, green technology, animal breeding, aquaculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, education and smart city building.

“The Vietnamese Government always accompanies you all”, he stated, expressing his hope that Danish investors would bring new, environmentally-friendly technologies, to Việt Nam.

He pledged to create the best possible policy conditions for them, adding that the Vietnamese Government would do its best to fulfil its commitments under the new generation free trade agreements towards the standards of the OECD, while maintaining political stability, social order and safety, solving institutional problems, developing supply chains and a transaction market, and strengthening transparency and accountability.

The PM asked Danish firms to advocate for the EU’s early signing and ratification of the Việt Nam-EU free trade agreements, and cooperate with Việt Nam to effectively implement the deal after it is signed and takes effect.

At the event, Danish businesses introduced achievements in their cooperation and investment in Việt Nam, and future trade collaboration projects, while proposing measures to foster partnerships between the two business communities.

Both Danish and Vietnamese firms showed their support of the early signing and ratification of the free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the EU. Danish investors spoke highly of socio-economic achievements of Việt Nam, especially breakthroughs in institutions and policy.

They noted that bilateral trade revenue is rising, while the cooperation between the two business communities was expanding.

They raised questions on different issues such as the equitisation of State-owned enterprises and engagement of foreign firms in the process; water management, especially in smart cities; and the development of renewable energy and wind power.

Danish investors in Việt Nam expressed their hope that the PM would directs relevant agencies to cut inspection time for foreign businesses in the country, thus giving more time for production, while creating more favourable conditions in tax for areas of energy development and other prioritised fields.

PM Phúc and leaders of Việt Nam’s ministries and sectors clarified that Việt Nam was strengthening the equitisation of State-owned enterprises and was willing to sell shares of major enterprises to foreign partners, including those from Denmark, in an open, transparent and win-win manner. 

They lauded the recommendations, proposals and ideas of Danish firms investing in Việt Nam in wind power, seaport, and high technology, and expressed hope that Danish firms would expand investment activities in Việt Nam as the Southeast Asian country "is a big and promising market". — VNS