Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (second right), Vietjet CEO Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo (first right) and the US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross (second left) after a business agreement signing ceremony between Vietnamese and US businesses on Wednesday during Phuc's visit to US. — Photo Thong Nhat
About 20 business deals worth a total of some US$10 billion between US and Vietnamese enterprises were signed yesterday during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to the US.
Vietjet Air, a Vietnamese low-cost carrier, inked several deals with General Electric (GE) to buy Airbus engines for 10 new Airbus A321 aircrafts along with maintenance deals worth a total $3.58 billion.
Another billion-dollar deal was between GE and the Phu Cuong Group to develop an 800 MW wind farm in the southern province of Soc Trang. The $2-billion agreement was among five deals involving GE worth $6 billion to support Viet Nam’s energy and aviation sectors.
GE also signed a memorandum of understanding with the state-owned PetroVietnam to develop two 750 MW combined cycle gas turbine power plants.
PM meets US trade official
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in Washington DC on Tuesday (local time).
The PM lauded the development of co-operation in economics, trade and investment between the two countries in recent years, emphasising this as a driving force in bilateral relations, contributing to growth and job generation.
He affirmed that Viet Nam attaches importance to economic-trade-investment collaboration with the US and wishes to boost bilateral economic ties for mutual benefits.
Viet Nam will create more favourable conditions for the US to bring products to the market while improving the business and investment environment, he said.
The US guests agreed that the two countries have complementary economies, adding that the US treasures economic-trade ties with Viet Nam and welcomes the Southeast Asian nation to continue pursuing economic reforms and international integration, enabling US firms to invest and do business.
The US side hailed the Vietnamese Government for easing some issues of US concern and its will to support US growth and employment targets.
Both nations should approve the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) mechanism to further discuss addressing difficulties in trade.
Speaking at a meeting with leading enterprises of the US and at the banquet jointly held by the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-ASEAN Business Council, PM Phuc applauded US firms’ investment in Viet Nam.
He asserted Viet Nam’s determination to promote renovation and international integration, and implement measures in line with fair trade rules, stressing that Viet Nam considers US enterprises’ success as its success.
US firms affirmed their support for strengthened relations between the two countries, saying that the Vietnamese Government’s policies created a fair environment for foreign enterprises, including those from the US.
They said they will support Viet Nam in holding APEC 2017.
The same day, PM Phuc received the World Bank’s Regional Vice President for the East Asia and Pacific, Victoria Kwakwa, during which he asked the bank to continue supporting Viet Nam in both international support and economic and financial policy consultation.
Kwakwa expressed her admiration for Viet Nam’s development as well as the country’s achievements in poverty reduction.
She said the World Bank’s Boards of Directors supports Viet Nam’s measures to promote economic restructuring and growth expansion, affirming that the bank will continue to make it easy for the Vietnamese Government to achieve stronger development. — VNS