Bengal, Vietnam have much to do to boost bilateral trade: Envoy

kolkata: West Bengal and Vietnam have much to do in terms of strengthening bilateral trade ties while there are 14 direct flights between Kolkata and Ho-Chi-Minh City, said Nguyen Thanh Hai, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to India.

Addressing a seminar organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce (BCC) on ‘West Bengal – Vietnam: Empowering Trade Relations’, Nguyen Thanh Hai observed that aquaculture, seafood, chemicals, iron and steel, rubber and tourism have been identified as the most vibrant sectors for bilateral trade between West Bengal and Vietnam.He emphasised that Indian tourists should visit Vietnam with the same zeal and enthusiasm as they visit Thailand. He felt that an effective Free Trade Agreement between the nations would prove to be beneficial. In terms of connectivity, he highlighted that 50 direct flights are operational between the nations, including 14 direct flights between Kolkata and Ho-Chi-Minh City.

“Travelling between the nations now takes only two hours compared to the earlier 8 to 10 hours at prices as cheap as only $200,” he added. The Ambassador observed that though bilateral trade between the nations has touched $15 billion, it only accounts for 2 per cent of Vietnam’s global trade volume. In this regard, he informed that the Vietnamese government is always prepared to facilitate trade and investment. “Vietnam has 400 industrial parks and 18 economic zones. Foreign investors enjoy corporate tax holidays for 15 years, with zero tax liability for the first four years,” he added. The members of BCC requested the Ambassador for issuance of honorary visas.