Search News on:
  +Market & Commodities +Finance and Banking +Export and Import 
  +Investment +Legal update +Others

AEBF To Be Opened in Hanoi

www.asemconnectvietnam.gov.vn/asemvn/asps/news.asp?idnews=6111&tuan=37 

The ninth Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF IX) will be opened in Hanoi on October 1 this year. The forum is one of various events held on the threshold of the fifth Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM 5). Vice Prime Minister Vu Khoan said that the event was a precious opportunity for the business community of the two continents to express their aspirations to leaders.

The AEBF IX will officially work on 7-8 October with 7 work groups specializing in trade, investment and infrastructure, financial services, Informatic and Communication Technology (ICT) and Foodstuffs, Tourism and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME ). As scheduled, on 9th October, delegates will visit the ASEAN Trade Fair 2004, which will be held from 6th to 10th October in Hanoi.

Acting as the chairman of the National Committee on ASEM 5, Vice Prime Minister Vu Khoan highly appreciated economic coopeation opportunities between the two continents created by AEBF IX. He said that enterprises would have opportunities to gain latest information on socio-economic development of each ASEM member country and establish new business relations when attending the forum.

The AEBF VIII was held in October last year in Seoul with the participation of 180 delegates representing enterprises coming from 25 ASEM countries. The AEBF IX is expected to find out effective measures for current burning issues that have been increasi ng the unstability of the global economy, for example, Iraqi War, SARS and the failure of WTO negotiation round. According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam attracted 261 investment projects of ASEM member countries, especially South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, France, the UK and Germany, with registered capital totaling US$560 million in the first 8 months of the year, up 56 projects in terms of quantity and $61 million in terms of capital compared to last year.

Vietnam has so far lured 2,750 investment projects of ASEM countries with total registered capital of $27.03 billion, of which $16.4 billion was disbursed.

Currently, ASEM’s investment projects are making up 53 per cent of the total number of foreign investment projects in Vietnam. ASEM countries are also major ODA suppliers of Vietnam.

Sep 13 2004

Overviews of AEBF IX

www.asemconnectvietnam.gov.vn/asemvn/asps/news.asp?idnews=6129&tuan=39  

Time	October 7th - 8th 2004
Venue	Hanoi Sheraton Hotel
Theme	For a Closer Cooperative Relation
Chair	The Trade Promotion Department of the Ministry of Trade
Co-chair	The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Chairman	Ngo Van Thoan - director of the Department
Working groups	Trade, investment, infrastructure, financial services, information and communication technology, foodstuffs, small and medium-sized enterprise development and tourism.

* AEBF IX main activities:

- Heads of state made speeches at the opening ceremony - Working groups: Delegates will be divided into 7 working groups discussing different issues as mentioned above.

- Gala dinner: chaired by the chairman of AEBF IX.

- Cocktail reception: participated by ASEM heads of state and delegates.

- Visiting the Asean Trade Fair 2004 to be held at the Giang International Exhibition Center in Hanoi on September 9th.

* Activities carried out on the threshold of AEBF IX.

- The 1st Steering Committee’s Meeting on the AEBF IX (SCM1) which was held in Hanoi on April 22 in preparations for the organization of the AEBF IX in October this year in Hanoi.

Attending the meeting were representatives from ASEM member countries, including China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, France, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK, and representatives of the EC delegation in Vietnam.

- Working dinner participated by leaders of the Vietnam Ministry of Trade, AEBF IX chairman and ambassadors and counselors of ASEM countries to Vietnam held on September 10th 2004 in the Hanoi Sheraton Hotel.

- The 2nd Steering Committee’s Meeting to be held in Hanoi on October 6th.

* Preparations for the AEBF IX.

As of September 20th 2004, 163 businesses officially register to take part in the forum coming from China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Republic of Korea, Japan, France, the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Spain, Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Eurocham in Vietnam. European delegates are 75 and Asian are 67. Delegates from ASEM new member countries are expected to attend.

Sep 27 2004