Vietnam, Panama hold substantial cooperation potential: ministers

This was affirmed by Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama Erika Mouynes during their recent working session.

Dien congratulated Panama on its socio-economic achievements over the past time, expressing his belief that the country will continue to develop dynamically and serve as a leading centre of finance, services, logistics and trade in the region and the world.

The minister noted with pleasure the two-way trade that reached US$467.04 million last year, up 45.9% from the previous year.

He suggested the two countries continue with their close and effective coordination so that Panama will become a bridge for Vietnamese goods to enter Latin America and the Caribbean.

Vietnam will also work as a gateway for Panama goods to penetrate Southeast Asia, especially in the fields of logistics, e-commerce and digital transformation in trade, he continued.

To enhance the economic and trade ties, the two countries should step up the communication work and delegation exchange, thus creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese firms to participate in trade promotion in Panama, Dien stressed.

For her part, Mouynes affirmed that her ministry will coordinate with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade to implement the reached contents.

The two sides should work harder to foster the trade and economic links through trade and investment promotion, helping their businesses access the respective markets, she said.

They also emphasised the significance of the Vietnam-Panama joint committee on economic, trade and investment cooperation to boosting the bilateral economic, trade and investment relations, and consented to further coordination to accelerate the organisation of the second meeting of the committee in Hanoi this year.