Investment and partnership opportunities between Vietnamese and Finnishbusinesses—particularly in education, IT and telecommunications—werepresented at a workshop held in Hanoi on April 17.

Birgit Nevala, Coordinator of a programme connecting Finnish andVietnamese enterprises, informed the local business community of theirforeign peers’ strong sectors as well as chances to access herprogramme’s financial assistance grants.

She alsounveiled that a Finnish delegation in IT and education will visit andlook for partnership opportunities in Vietnam in May.

Pham Thi Thu Hang, General Director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerceand Industry (VCCI), said the event is a bridge for the formation oftheir long-term bilateral economic ties.

According toFinnish Ambassador to Vietnam Kimmo Lahdervirta, there are currentlyaround 75 firms from his homeland investing in the Southeast Asiancountry.

The two nations’ trade revenue reached morethan 230 million EUR in 2014, including 150 million EUR worth ofVietnamese exports, mostly footwear, apparel and furnishings. Meanwhile,Finland earned about 80 million EUR from shipment of its machinery andforest products to Vietnam.

The workshop is partof a programme to facilitate Vietnamese firms’ expansion of theiroperations overseas, especially as several free trade agreements,including one with the European Union, enter their final round ofnegotiations.-VNA