On November 30, 2017, on the occasion of the Polish President visit to Vietnam, the Vietnamese-Polish Forum took place in HCMC. The Forum gathered many high level Politicians and businesses, both on the Polish and Vietnamese side.
The Forum started with the speech given by President of Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), Tomasz Pisula, who expressed his gratitude to Vietnamese Government for giving an official approval for the opening of PAIH Representative Office in HCMC, which will strengthen bilateral economic and trade ties between the countries.
Following, the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, thanked to the Vietnamese and Polish participants for the involvement in the Business Forum preparation, which he considered as the most important part of the Polish Mission to Vietnam.
“Vietnam could be Poland’s gateway to Asia, and likewise Poland should pave Vietnam’s way to Europe”, the Polish head of state insisted. “This is precisely why I am here”, he added, “I am lending my support to such pursuits both on the Polish and Vietnamese side”.
Duda, for his part, affirmed that reinforcement of friendship and traditional co-operation with Vietnam is one of priorities and vowed to fulfill signed agreements in the fields of economy, finance, education-training, agriculture, environmental protection and media. The President also expressed his hope for equal bilateral trade, in which, at this moment, Poland remains deficient.
“I would be very pleased for Polish farming and food-processing products to enjoy a bigger presence on the Vietnamese market”, Andrzej Duda said. “The same goes for the Polish machinery-makers, mining companies and producers of agricultural machines”, he added.
Afterwards, Vice-President of VCCI, Branch Director of VCCI in HCMC, Ông Võ Tân Thàn, highlighted a long economic relationship between Vietnam and Poland and development in bilateral ties between the two nations. Vietnam is the 7th most important partner of Poland outside European Union and is the gate for Vietnamese businesses to enter European market – he said. Polish Government pointed Vietnam as one of the five most promising markets for Polish investments and export development – he added.
Following Ông Võ Tân Thàn talk, Minister of MOIC in Vietnam, Truong Minh Tuan, spoke highly of Poland’s active and practical support to Vietnam as well as to Vietnamese nationals living in the host country. Has assured President of Poland Andrzej Duda that Vietnam always treasures its traditional friendship with Poland and appreciates its position and role in Europe. HE Minister of MOIC encouraged Vietnamese companies to seek cooperation with the Polish partners.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Education – Jaroslaw Gowin, stressed the education in cooperation between the both nations and ensured its continuation. Poland has doubled the scholarships for Vietnamese citizen recently. The MoU in the field of education and technology has been signed. The role of government is limited – he said. During this mission, the legal framework has been done, now the field is open to those who has an impact on the economic development of Poland and Vietnam – entrepreneurs.
Tadeusz Koscinski – Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Finance in Poland, hailed the visit as marking a new development in bilateral ties between the two nations too.
The MoU between PAIH and VCCI, PAIH and Vietnamese Water Supply Association as well as Polish Airlines LOT and Vietnamese Airlines were signed.
The Forum ended up with B2B meetings. CEEC introduced itself to the Polish companies representing the fields of: medical-services, aviation, mining, shipbuilding, farming and food-processing industries and offered support in consultancy, services and networking. ‘Doing Business in Vietnam 2018’ booklets were distributed to the Polish entrepreneurs.
