Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy works with the West London Chamber of Commerce, UK
On June 13 (local time), the Nghe An Provincial Delegation led by Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation had a working session with the West London Chamber of Commerce (WLCC), UK.
Working with the delegation, on behalf of the West London Chamber of Commerce, there were Mr. Chris Durkin - Chairman; Mr. Alan Rides - Executive Director; with the participation of many businesses, investment funds in the fields of finance, banking, logistics, industry, education... and the Vietnam Business Association in the UK.
Attending the meeting were Major General Bui Quang Thanh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Director of the Provincial Police Department and Directors of the Departments of Planning and Investment, Finance, Transport, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Foreign Affairs.
Also attending were Chargé d'Affaires of the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK To Minh Thu and Embassy staff.
WLCC is the second largest chamber of commerce in London, dedicated to connecting and promoting trade and business cooperation between the UK and emerging and developing economies.
West London Chamber of Commerce is tasked with supporting businesses to grow through networking, training and referrals, maximising marketing and business opportunities; fostering symbiotic relationships where new businesses can learn from the experiences of members; focusing on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to further strengthen trade and investment cooperation with countries, including Vietnam.
At the meeting, Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee Thai Thanh Quy said: On the basis of the strategic partnership between the two countries, in recent years, Nghe An province has actively implemented cooperative activities with British partners.
However, the cooperation between Nghe An and the UK is still modest. Regarding FDI, there are currently only 2 projects of British investors, with a total registered investment capital of 4.04 million USD.
In terms of trade, in 2023, export turnover to the UK market reached 12.5 million USD. Import turnover from the UK market reached 271 thousand USD.
Affirming that he attaches great importance to the meeting, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy expressed his hope that, through this, the West London Chamber of Commerce will help convey information about Nghe An province to the British business community, creating opportunities for businesses in the UK to learn about cooperation and investment opportunities.
In particular, Nghe An is eager to call for businesses in fields such as: mechanical engineering, high technology, chips, semiconductors, education, seaports, logistics, and waste treatment.
Welcoming the delegation of Nghe An province to visit and work in the UK, Mr. Alan Rides - Executive Director, after introducing the West London Chamber of Commerce, highly appreciated the potential for cooperation with partners from Vietnam. In just the past year, this agency has welcomed 3 delegations to work and promote investment.
“Vietnam is a very open country with many opportunities for trade and investment,” said Mr. Alan Rides, adding that the agency is ready to support Nghe An province in finding partners and investors in the UK.
At the meeting, after watching a film introducing an overview of Nghe An, representatives of British corporations, businesses, and universities such as Euroyen Group, Dragon Capital, Wolverhampton University, etc. exchanged views and wished to gain more information about investment incentives, labor force, start-up activities, resources and environment, mineral reserves, etc.
The Vietnamese Business Association in the UK also expressed its desire to connect to learn about and increase opportunities to import agricultural products from Nghe An to chain stores and supermarkets in the UK, including Vietnamese businesses; at the same time, connect the young generation of Vietnamese people in the UK with their homeland; along with that, the desire for Nghe An to promote and introduce Vi and Giam folk songs to the Vietnamese community in the UK.
The issues raised by businesses and associations were discussed and answered specifically by the Nghe An provincial delegation. Director of the Department of Planning and Investment Pham Hong Quang discussed investment incentive policies on corporate income tax, import tax, and land rent exemption and reduction when investing in industrial parks in the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone.
Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy affirmed Nghe An's sustainable development strategy, through solutions such as ensuring forest coverage to contribute to combating climate change, using land and water resources reasonably; at the same time, clarifying information on investment attraction orientation and Nghe An's potential.
Regarding the opinions of the Vietnam Business Association in the UK, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy expressed his agreement with the viewpoint of connecting both economy and culture. In particular, in the immediate future, through the Embassy, Nghe An province will send music products on Vi and Giam folk songs to the association.
“I think the meeting is very meaningful for the delegation and Nghe An province. I hope that the West London Chamber of Commerce, the Vietnam Business Association in the UK and friends of the Embassy will help inform potential information and opportunities to connect with partners in the UK in the coming time,” said Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy.
Before concluding the meeting, Mr. Chris Durkin - Chairman of the West London Chamber of Commerce reaffirmed the agency's strong commitment to introducing and connecting investors with Nghe An province in the coming time.
