VN pledges improved conditions for US business

(VNA) The Vietnamese Government will improve investment environment and create favourable conditions for foreign businesses, including those from the US, to operate in the country while strictly implementing commitments reached by the two sides.

The pledge was made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a reception in Hanoi on Dec. 8 for a delegation of US businesses in Vietnam and guests who had engaged in the negotiations of the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), on the occasion of the 10 th anniversary of the signing.

The PM welcomed the delegation’s members to Hanoi to attend the workshop on Vietnam-US trade relations post-BTA, themed “Looking back to the past – Looking towards the future” jointly held in Hanoi by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Vietnam-US Trade Council, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the US Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

He affirmed Vietnam ’s willingness to partner with the US to continue effectively upholding outcomes of the BTA and negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, in an effort to elevate the two countries’ relations to a new height, for peace, cooperation, prosperous development and mutual benefits.

PM Dung said the signing of the BTA was made possible with goodwill from both sides.

During the past decade, the BTA has brought significant results for trade and investment of the two countries, while improving mutual understanding and trust, PM Dung said. He described the outcomes as practical lessons and a momentum for the negotiation process to help Vietnam join the TPP.

On the occasion, US Ambassador to Vietnam David Shear expressed his delight at achievements Vietnam and the US have gained over the past decade, saying the signing has helped raise two-way trade and create a foundation for the development of bilateral relations.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and the US in 2011 recorded an estimated 20 billion USD, representing a ten-fold increase compared with 2001.

The Ambassador expressed his wish that the Vietnamese Government will continue supporting US businesses in the country and increasing two-way trade for the interest of both countries. /.