In the middle of October 2008, a trade delegation from the northwestern US State of Idaho led by Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, including officials from the state departments of agriculture and commerce and representatives from nine companies based in Idaho paid an official visit to HCM City.
The Idaho trade mission also met with representatives from the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Southern Foodstuff Corporation and discussed issues related to cooperative programmes, trade promotion and export activities between the state and HCM City.
Leaders of the two sides agreed to further boost trade and business activities in the future. During his meeting with Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan on October 16, Otter said Idaho businesses have seen good prospects for a long-term development in Vietnam, particularly for their high-grade agricultural products which are beef, potato, processed food and fruit.
Idaho is also seeking Vietnamese partners in the distribution of high-tech agricultural equipment and farm produce preservation and processing technologies, he said, adding that his state warmly welcomes Vietnamese business and will create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese investors who want to seek partners in Idaho.
While meeting with Vo Tan Thanh– Head of VCCI-HCM on the same day, VCCI-HCM and Idaho signed a memorandum of understanding to set up an official information channel on policies, markets and businesses’ needs, creating favourable conditions for the two sides’ businesses and enhancing activities in trade, tourism and education between the sides.
The governor said Idaho’s exports to Vietnam increased by 67 per cent last year to nearly US$11 million. A number of Idaho businesses have opened representative offices in Vietnam to introduce their farm produce, wood products, tanned leather and agricultural, railway and mining equipment.
Idaho and Vietnam have also set up their ties in educational cooperation, with an US$8.5 million contract on teacher training between the Hanoi Economics University and the Boise University. Vietnam exports to Idaho mainly wood furniture, rubber and rubber products. Seven out of 10 biggest trade partners of Idaho are countries in Asia and 50 per cent of total incomings of Idaho come from farm produce, mostly gene-modified farm produce.
Hai Nguyen
Vietnamese
