Switzerland eyes closer trade ties with Việt Nam

VGP – Switzerland wants to boost bilateral trade with Việt Nam and hopes that the relations between the two states and parliaments will be strengthened, a Swiss parliament official said.

November 24, 2009 5:37 PM GMT+7

Việt Nam exports mainly footwear, seafood, coffee, garments, bags, umbrellas and interior woodwork to Switzerland

Switzerland

also pins high hope on the coming visit by Vietnamese State President Nguyễn Minh Triết slated for May 2010, said Mr. Handsruedi Wandfluh, Head of the Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation of the Swiss Parliament’s National Council.

Mr. Handsruedi Wandfluh made the statements when having a working session with Mr. Vũ Viết Ngoạn, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly’s Economic Committee on November 23 in Geneva.

Switzerland considers Việt Nam a focus in ASEAN, which helps to boost economic ties between the European country with the bloc.

Switzerland also highly appreciates Vietnamese economic policies and measures to cope with the economic slowdown and lower inflation rate to 6% this year from 20% last year.

During the working session, the two sides exchanged information about functions, tasks, legislative and surveillance procedures of their parliamentary economic agencies.

The two-way trade between Việt Nam and Switzerland in 2008 nearly doubled the figure in 2007 to surpass US $2 billion. Việt Nam exports mainly footwear, seafood, coffee, garments, bags, umbrellas and interior woodwork to Switzerland, and mostly imports Swiss precious metals, machines, chemicals, medicines, plastic materials and products.

By Ngọc Vân