Major U.S. business mission comes knocking
HANOI - A delegation of 18 leading American companies arrived in Hanoi yesterday to sound out business and investment prospects, becoming the first to visit the country since U.S. approval of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Vietnam.
The companies accompanying the delegation that is led by U.S.-ASEAN Business Council counselor Frances Zwenig are members of the council.
The Vietnam visit by the 33-member delegation is living proof of the strong economic potential of Vietnam, Zwenig said, adding, “We are here to explore new investment opportunities and to deepen already existing trade and investment relationships.”
A business forum was organized in the capital city the same day for the U.S. companies – Abbott International, Agilent Technologies, Alcoa, Apco Worldwide, Boeing, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Ford Motor, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, JHPIEGO, Raytheon International Inc, TimeWarner, Universal Telecom Services Inc, UPS, and Vietnam Partners LLC.
Attending the event on the part of Vietnam were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem, Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen, Minister of Finance Vu Van Ninh, Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc, Minister of Communications and Transport Ho Nghia Dung, Minister of Post and Telematics Do Trung Ta, Minister of Science and Technology Hong Van Phong, and Minister of Internal Affairs Do Quang Trung, among others.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is expected to meet the visiting U.S. corporations today.
The forum organizing committee is scheduled to hold a press conference today to brief reporters on the outcome of the event, which was off-limits to the press.
The US-ASEAN Business Council and its affiliates are dedicated to strengthening U.S.-ASEAN relations and building strong economic and commercial ties. Members of the council include Fortune 1000 companies in support of promoting trade, investment and technology cooperation, advancing U.S. ASEAN relations through strong participation in public-private partnerships, and committing to development and corporate social responsibility.
The council’s members are represented in diverse industries, including aerospace, agribusiness, automobiles, computers and information technology, consumer goods, energy exploration and development, express delivery services, financial services, health care and pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, mining, software, and telecommunications.
By Anh Minh - Saigon Times Daily - May 3, 2007.
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