Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is paying an official visit to Qatar, received a delegation of Qatari enterprises led by Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association and Chairman of Al Faisal Holding, in Doha on October 31, according to a report from the Vietnam News Agency.

The PM informed local enterprises about the outcomes of his talks and meetings with the Emir, PM, and other leaders of Qatar, noting that the two sides shared the view that the relations between the two countries are flourishing, but economic partnerships have yet to match their political - diplomatic ties.

He said leaders of the two nations also agreed on many important issues, especially the enhancement of cooperation in all spheres, with economic, trade, and investment collaboration being a pillar. The leaders agreed to negotiate to soon sign a free trade agreement and an intergovernmental agreement related to the visa policy, investment, and export - import, among others.

How bilateral economic relations develop depends on the performance of the two countries’ enterprises through concrete projects, PM Chinh remarked.

The PM went on to say that Vietnam prioritizes attracting investment to the fields where Qatari enterprises have strengths such as oil and gas; energy, especially liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled power and nuclear power; digital transformation, including emerging sectors like database, telecommunications infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, Internet of Things, and innovation; real estate such as industrial park infrastructure, urban areas, and housing; trading, retail, tourism; along with large-scaled infrastructure such as expressways, airports, seaports, high-speed railways, and urban railways.

He called on Qatari enterprises to invest in large projects in Vietnam, transfer technology, train human resources, and connect Vietnamese companies with foreign businesses in supply chains.

Vietnam will create an optimal investment and business environment, guarantee foreign investors’ rights and legitimate interests, and also perfect hard, soft, and social infrastructure to help investors reduce input costs and enhance products’ competitiveness, PM Chinh stated.

In addition, the Vietnamese leader continued, it will push ahead with perfecting regulations, mechanisms, and policies to ensure transparency and openness, streamlining administrative procedures to cut compliance costs, and ensuring business equality on the basis of “harmonizing interests, sharing risks” and “harmonizing interests among the State, people, and enterprises”.

PM Chinh said Vietnam is focusing on training high-quality human resources to meet enterprises’ investment, production and business needs. Particularly, the country maintains political stability and social order and safety so that investors can feel secure in making long-term investments.

On this occasion, the PM provided Qatari enterprises with a list of Vietnam's priority projects calling for investment. He suggested the two sides organize a Vietnam - Qatar business forum in Vietnam or Qatar to connect enterprises of the two countries; explore investment and business opportunities; and negotiate for specific cooperation and investment projects.

For his part, Al Thani said that through surveys, research and experiences of several businesses in Vietnam, Qatar sees that Vietnam has great potential for investment cooperation.

With support from the Vietnamese Government, Qatari enterprises can fully promote investment and business cooperation in the country as well as bring more Vietnamese goods to the Qatari market, he noted.

Welcoming the organization of a Vietnam - Qatar business forum as suggested by the Vietnamese leader, he stated that with a strong team of enterprises in various fields including energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism, his association will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Vietnamese side to gradually implement the PM's suggestions.