Fostering Business Cooperation with Sverdlovsk (Russian Federation)

A business delegation of Sverdlovsk province (Russian Federation) with representatives from different sectors such as agriculture, mechanics, mining, railways, energy, education, science, construction and education met with Vietnamese businesses at a forum held recently in Hanoi. The forum was jointly sponsored by Vietnam-Russia Business Council, VCCI, Sverdlovsk International Economic Cooperation Department and Russian Commercial Representative Office in Vietnam.

Speaking at the forum, Russian Ambassador Endrey G. Kovtun highlighted dynamic and diversified cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

 

Along with the implementation of bilateral agreements, the two countries should develop business cooperation between the provinces. To this end, the two sides need more information and reasonable forms of cooperation.

 

He said that Russian businesses are willing to introduce high technology products in transport, mining, chemistry, railways and energy. In particular, Sverdlovsk has great potential in education and training, with strong research institutes and scientific establishments attractive to foreign counterparts.

 

For his part, Mr Alexander S. Misharin, Sverdlovsk Governor, pointed out that Sverdlovsk has most favourable location and economic potential, with a provincial GDP of US$35 billion in 2010 and import-export value of over US$12 billion. Sverdlovsk produced 60 percent of Russian industrial products. Many big foreign economic groups have established representative offices in Sverdlovsk. In particular, the province has special support for foreign businesses.

 

He also said that Sverdlovsk is in shortage of food crops but strong in agricultural technology against plant diseases and developing fertilizer for high crop yields. These are essential areas for cooperation between the two countries.

 

Mr Hoang Van Dung, VCCI Vice-President, praised the ever-increasing relationship between Vietnam and Russia, especially when leaders of the two countries have established strategic partnership on the basis of reliable and all-round cooperation, mutual benefit and traditional friendship. 

 

VCCI Vice-President encouraged Sverdlovsk businesses in conjunction with Vietnamese partners to make the best use of those comparative advantages to promote trade and investment in the coming years. He said that the two sides should find new motivation and methods to increase the exchange of information to promote understanding of trade and investment policy, the potential, needs and also difficulties such as through exchange of visits, exhibitions and trade fairs.

 

Regarding VCCI, Mr Dung said that the Chamber has established the Vietnam-Russia Business Council in compliance with the guidance of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The Council will assist business communities of the two countries to promote trade and investment. In the past two years since its establishment, the Council has organized business forums, seminars and workshops to promote trade and investment, and established www.vietrussia.com to provide information on investment environment, legal framework and local markets. The Council serves as the bridge between the two business communities and concerned businesses can contact Council Secretariat for necessary assistance.