Hanoi (VNA) – Russian auto manufacturer GAZ Group isplanning to enter the Vietnamese market by setting up a joint venture fordistribution and later by assembling autos in the country.

The biggest manufacturer in Russia is, for the first time,taking part in the Vietnam International Exhibition on Automobile &Transportation and Supporting Industry (Vietnam AutoExpo 2018) in Hanoi. It isshowcasing five new car models to study the market. They are the medium dutyvans GaZelle NEXT and GAZelle Business 4x4, 19-seat bus GAZelle Next Citiline,and medium-duty trucks GAZon NEXT and Sadko 4x4.

Christian Kremer, Gaz Group Senior Vice President for Salesand Marketing, said the models represent best-sellers of its light weightcommercial vehicles in Russia and Europe.

He affirmed GAZ considers Vietnam a potential market withhigh growth in the coming years, saying the company is studying the possibilityof establishing a joint venture and beginning its sales in Vietnam.

From this year, GAZ began implementing theintergovernmental protocol signed between Russia and Vietnam on supporting theproduction of motorised transportation vehicles in the Southeast Asian nation,he added.

GAZ Group Sales Director for Asia KristinaDubinina said in ASEAN, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia are GAZ’s target exportmarkets in the coming time.

GAZ has 13 production facilities in Russia andassembly plants in Turkey and Kazakhstan, with more than 500 types of vehicles,including passenger cars, trucks, buses, military vehicles and specialvehicles. It has exported products to more than 40 countries across the world.— VNA