Sydney (VNA) - Australian businesses were updated on strengths, demands and preferential policies of the northern province of Ha Nam and the Mekong Delta of Bac Lieu at a seminar held in Sydney on April 20.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Consul General in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia states Nguyen Dang Thang highlighted the stronger and fruitful development of relations between Vietnam and Australia in recent years, especially since the two countries elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2018.

Cooperation between localities of the two countries has also developed effectively on the basis of the Vietnam-Australia Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, he said, noting that the seminar aimed to connect Ha Nam and Bac Lieu provinces with Australia partners for development and prosperity goals.
        
Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Lieu province Pham Van Thieu and Standing Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of Ha Nam province Dinh Thi Lua briefed participants on their localities’ policies for foreign investors, pledging that they will create the most favourable conditions for investors.

In addition to introducing Bac Lieu's strong products such as shrimp and high-quality rice, Thieu also invited Australian businesses to invest in shrimp processing factories for export; and develop offshore wind power projects, high-quality health and education projects in the province.

Meanwhile, Lua affirmed that the local authorities will accompany investors. She called for stronger cooperation between Ha Nam and Australian investors in developing industrial parks, resort tourism destinations, and high-quality education projects.

Representatives of Australian trade agencies and businesses affirmed that Vietnam has continued to be one of Australia's leading important trade and investment partners in the region. 

They also spoke highly of the support of the Vietnamese government and localities for their projects in Vietnam, and expressed their hope to further expand trade and investment cooperation with Vietnam in the coming time.

Brent Thomson, CEO of GEO Scan Australia Pacific which specialises in renewable energy, said his company is interested in investing in Bac Lieu and Ha Nam provinces.

Vietnam is an attractive and valuable investment attraction for Australian enterprises, Thomson said, affirming that many Australian enterprises are looking for investment opportunities in the Southeast Asian nation.

Within the framework of the event, the two localities’ representatives had working sessions with the Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Association in Sydney, the Vietnam-Australia Business Council, and a number of Australian economic organisations and associations, during which participants proposed initiatives to strengthen cooperation with Bac Lieu and Ha Nam in the fields of trade, high-tech agriculture, real estate, education-training, industry, construction, and energy./.