Vietnamese businesses should focus more on ASEAN markets to make use of the advantages created by the establishment of the ASEAN Community, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Nguyen Tat Thanh said. — Photo baodauthau.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Vietnamese businesses should focus more on ASEAN markets to make use of the advantages created by the establishment of the ASEAN Community, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Nguyen Tat Thanh said.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency reporters on the sidelines of the 29th Diplomatic Conference now underway in Ha Noi, the ambassador said Vietnamese businesses have not paid proper attention to ASEAN markets in general and the Thai market in particular. 

On the contrary, Thai firms, from large to small- and medium-sized enterprises, are very interested in the ASEAN markets, especially Viet Nam. 

He said while several Vietnamese localities have established twinning arrangements or affiliations with their Thai counterparts, their relationships have focused on co-operation or investment while neglecting trading of goods. 

Several trade promotion events that the embassy helped to organise recently in Thailand have proved that there are many ways for Vietnamese goods to enter this market, which is a major one with 70 million people. 

Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan said following the conclusion of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, Indonesian investors were very interested in the Vietnamese market, as through Viet Nam they could enter other markets of the TPP agreement. 

At the same time, the AEC framework facilitated trade and investment ties not only from Indonesia to Viet Nam, but also from Viet Nam to Indonesia, the ambassador said. 

According to head of the Vietnamese delegation to ASEAN Ambassador Nguyen Hoanh Nam, the formation of the ASEAN Community has brought about a new change for the ASEAN member countries. 

In order to make full use of the advantages created by the community, member countries should create better linkages in production and services, he said. 

The ambassador said the member countries must improve their investment environment to make ASEAN more attractive to outside investors. 

Ambassador to Malaysia Pham Cao Phong said the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) held great potential, but it was formed at a time when the region's economy was suffering from many negative impacts and faced numerous challenges. Therefore, the ASEAN countries should work together for development. 

Viet Nam and Malaysia should enhance economic ties on the basis of supplementing each other, in order to bring into play each country's comparative advantages, he said. — VNS