This evaluation was made at a seminar on business opportunities in Vietnam and Indonesia, which was held in Italy on March 20 by the Vietnamese and Indonesia embassies, the Italy-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and the Macerata Chamber of Commerce and Trade Unions.

At the seminar, Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Khanh Thoai reaffirmed that Vietnam is among those countries with a high GDP growth rate and provides an attractive destination for foreign investors. The country’s status in the international arena is increasing, especially as Vietnam assumes the ASEAN chairmanship in 2010. Although in recent years, Vietnam and Italy have joined efforts to boost trade ties results have not matched up with their potential.

Italy now ranks 26^th among foreign investors in Vietnam with a total investment capital of US$162 million.