Visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended a conference of business people in Hong Kong on Monday to encourage investment in Vietnam and promote bilateral trade.
Vietnam maintained rapid economic growth in 2008 in spite of challenges, including the once heavy inflationary pressure, and positive signs were seen in the first quarter of this year on stimulus measures, said Nguyen, who headed a business delegation.
The Vietnamese economy grew by 3.1 percent in the first quarter of this year, and the full-year growth target is between 5 and 5.5percent, Nguyen told the Vietnam Global Investment Conference herein Hong Kong.
Vietnam will be committed to promoting foreign investments and pursue policies that will lead to mutual benefit and sustainable economic growth, he said.
Hong Kong is currently the seventh largest source of foreign investment for Vietnam, and bilateral trade grew 23 percent year on year in 2008 to about 4 billion U.S. dollars, said John Tsang, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region(HKSAR) government.
Tsang said the global financial crisis called for "clear vision, determination and a co-ordinated approach," adding that he looked forward to even stronger bilateral relations with Vietnam and to "a more open and vibrant environment for investors."
Hong Kong and Vietnam were expected to sign three memoranda of understanding covering education, trade promotion and finance during Nguyen's two-day official visit.
HKSAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang met Nguyen later on Monday.
Nguyen was on the third leg of his six-day China visit. He arrived in China's southern island province of Hainan Friday to attend the Bo'ao Forum for Asia. He arrived at the Guangdong province on Saturday, and in Hong Kong on Monday.
Nguyen is expected to visit the Macao Special Administrative Region on Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua
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