Increase opportunities for connecting Vietnamese businesses

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Thuy - Commercial Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, concurrently in charge of Northern Europe shared with reporters of Industry and Trade Newspaper about this issue.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Thuy - Commercial Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, concurrently in charge of Northern Europe

In 2023, the event series “Connecting international supply chains - Vietnam International Sourcing” was organized for the first time by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in September and the Northern European business delegation enthusiastically participated in this event. Could you please share a few words about the effectiveness of the event series in 2023 for the Northern European business community?

Although it is difficult to accurately measure the effectiveness of the 2023 event series, it can be seen that organizing this event has created a necessary platform for connection and cooperation between businesses on both sides.

The Nordic business delegation participating in the event was very diverse in terms of fields and scale, from large corporations such as the Port of Gothenburg (Sweden) to intermediary service brokerage businesses such as Nordic Apiary (Sweden); distribution and retail businesses such as FH (Denmark), IKEA (Sweden), or key Asian food import businesses such as Scanesia (Norway), East Asia (Sweden)... Through this event, Nordic businesses had the opportunity to learn more about the Vietnamese market and the potential for cooperation in different fields, from logistics to production.

Northern European business delegation participates in the event series "Connecting international supply chains - Viet Nam International Sourcing" (Photo: Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden)

Specifically, the Nordic business delegation represents many different fields such as Gothenburg Port, Sweden's largest seaport, transporting more than 800,000 containers/year. Currently, Vietnamese goods entering the Swedish market are often imported through intermediaries. If cooperation between seaports and aviation is promoted, import and export goods will be transported directly, helping to promote two-way trade between Vietnam and Sweden in particular and the Nordic region in general. The Gothenburg Port delegation attending the fair has opened a new direction for cooperation between businesses of the two sides in this field in the coming time.

Large corporations such as FH, IKEA, or key Asian food import enterprises such as Scanesia, East Asia… when participating in the series of events have more or less had a more positive view of the Vietnamese market in general and Vietnamese exports in particular. A number of contracts were signed right after the fair.

The group of intermediary brokerage enterprises in the service sector also had some initial positive results such as Nordic Apiary and Frends enterprises signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation with FPT Corporation of Vietnam. In addition, the Nordic business delegation actively attended sideline seminars to share experiences, new trends, market requirements, etc. with Vietnamese enterprises.

With these results, in 2024, it is expected that the Nordic business delegation will continue to participate in Sourcing Fair 2024. What solutions will the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden have to attract Nordic businesses to attend this important event?

The Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden has been promoting and marketing the event through online and direct activities to provide detailed information on business and investment cooperation opportunities in the Vietnamese market, and opportunities to import high-quality Vietnamese goods with preferential tax rates brought about by the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the EU (EVFTA).

The Trade Office also regularly organizes events to introduce Vietnamese products such as product testing, encourages Vietnamese people to prioritize business and consumption of Vietnamese products, and prepares to organize a number of seminars such as "Gateway to Vietnam" or "Vietnam - An Emerging Superpower for Sourcing and Production"...

From the successes of the connection chain in 2023, in the short time the event takes place, what solutions will the Trade Office have to help improve the connection efficiency between businesses on both sides?

In addition to participating in the Sourcing Fair 2024 event series, the Trade Office designs separate programs for each group of businesses upon request. We enhance the effectiveness of connections between businesses by organizing seminars, meetings with potential partners on a large scale, and organizing visits to factories and export production facilities. These activities will help create opportunities for direct exchange and build trustworthy relationships between businesses.

For Vietnamese businesses participating in the event, what recommendations do you have to improve the effectiveness of connections and business cooperation with Nordic businesses?

To improve the effectiveness of connecting and cooperating with Nordic businesses, Vietnamese businesses participating in the event need to carefully prepare products, packaging and evidence of product quality. Please note that Nordic businesses are often more interested in packaging and the content printed on it than the product itself. Telling the story of the origin or meaning of the product along with certifications of standards, product safety, environmental and social responsibility will attract the attention of Nordic businesses.

In addition, actively participating in networking activities and meeting directly with potential partners are also important factors in building relationships and finding new cooperation opportunities.

Thank you!

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tang-co-hoi-ket-noi-giao-thuong-doanh-nghiep-viet-nam-bac-au-310882.html