HCM City (VNA) - Localities and businessesappreciate the efforts made by Vietnamese trade counsellors in helping thecountry’s businesses boost their exports, and want them to continue providinginformation in a timely manner.

Speaking at the 2018 Trade Counsellor Conference held in HCMCity on February 26, Truong Quang Hoai Nam, Vice Chairman of the Can ThoPeople’s Committee, said his city’s exports last year increased by 15 percentover 2016.

“In addition to efforts made by businesses themselves, trade counsellorscontributed to the success of the city’s exports by providing them withinformation.”

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said Vietnam’s exportsreached a record 213.8 billion USD last year, an increase of 21.1 percent.

“There was certainly a contribution by trade counsellors, who besides helpingbusinesses promote their products abroad, also verify information about theirpartners and provide support in case of trade disputes,” he said.

But there were still shortcomings in the system, and the biennial conferencewas held to review the previous two years and set goals for the next two, hesaid.

Delegates said information provided by trade counsellors in both directions wassometimes too general.

Besides, they sometimes stop at providing just addresses and phone numbers ofbusinesses, he said.

“We need quick information and early market forecasts. We only get theinformation that the US changed its policy after the change. If we get theinformation a few months earlier, businesses could be more proactive,” Namsaid.

The city and its businesses want to take part in trade fairs to promote its keyproducts like seafood and rice, so trade counsellors and trade offices shouldevaluate trade fairs to tell businesses which ones they should participate in,according to him.

Lam Van Bi, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau People’s Committee, suggested tradecounsellors provide more precise market forecasts and information abouttechnical barriers and competitors.

Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, Deputy Director of the HCM City Department of Industry andTrade, wanted trade counsellors to help promote exports of key products likegarment and textile and electronics.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade should organise seminars and conferences toenable businesses to understand more about CO (certificate of origin) andconsumer habits in foreign markets, he said.

The city was focusing on developing infrastructure and logistics, and tradecounsellors should help find investors in those sectors, he added.

Nguyen Canh Cuong, Vietnam trade counsellor in the EU and Belgium, said Belgiumcould help Vietnam, especially HCM City, train human resources in the logisticssector.

“We will be pleased to connect businesses and localities that have demand forlogistics development with Belgium.”

Speaking about risks like trade disputes and online frauds, he said, “If businessesreceive suspicious emails, they can contact the trade office to verify.”

According to Nguyen Hoang Thuy from the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia, thecountry is a potential market for Vietnamese products but has high qualityrequirements.

Vietnamese exports to the market have increased significantly but still remainlow compared to potential.

Vietnamese businesses need to focus on improving product quality, diversifyingexport items, increasing export of value-added products and building brands fortheir products.

The conference was followed by a direct meeting between businesses and tradecounsellors in the EU, Americans, Asia and Africa markets.-VNA