Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on Friday encouraged enterprises from Viet Nam and Poland to prepare investment plans in fields of mutual interests, such as the environment, agriculture, and food processing.

Binh believes this will help to take advantage of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which will be signed soon.

In his speech at the Viet Nam-Poland Economic Co-operation seminar held as part of his visit to the Central European country, Binh underlined that the Government encouraged Vietnamese firms to land investment in the fields of IT and consumption goods in Poland to break into Polish and other European markets.

He stressed on the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries, adding that Poland is currently the largest trade partner of Viet Nam in Central Europe, with two-way trade hitting a record of US$1.05 billion in 2017.

"There are already many Vietnamese businesses carrying out projects in Poland," he said.

The most noteworthy, worth $3 million, is invested by dairy giant Vinamilk.

Regarding the Vietnamese economic situation, he said the economy grew 6.81 per cent in 2017, the highest level recorded during the 2011-17 period.

Binh also introduced Viet Nam’s favourable business climate, potential, international integration, and modern-day reform progress in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the seminar.

Polish participants and businesses expressed their impression at Viet Nam’s socio-economic achievement over the past few years.

They said they were interested in investment opportunities in Viet Nam, while speaking highly of Viet Nam’s important position in their business network in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific.

They lauded concerted efforts made by the Vietnamese Government in creating a welcoming business and investment environment and affirmed their determination to expand business in the country to capitalise on opportunities brought by the EVFTA.

Meanwhile, representatives from some Polish universities said they wanted to enhance student exchanges, and recommended that Polish authorities create favourable conditions for Vietnamese students wanting to pursue studies in the country. -VNS