South Africa-Vietnam Trade Ties Thrive

Vietnam is the leading trade partner of South Africa and bilateral trade between the two countries has been thriving over recent years.

Vietnam mainly exports footwear, garments, coffee, rice, gemstones, precious metals, wood and timber products to South Africa while it imports steel, metal, wood and timber products, chemicals, plastic materials, cotton, fibre and fertilisers.

Focusing on tourism cooperation in 2015

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Africa and Vietnam. In connection therewith, the South African Embassy and Consulate General held a number of seminars and exchanges between the two countries' businesses to introduce South Africa to the Vietnamese people.

This year the embassy is continuing to promote its land and people to Vietnam through tourism promotion campaigns and conferences.

At a conference on tourism promotion in HCM City on March 19, South African Ambassador to Vietnam Kgomotso Ruth Magau emphasized that similarity of culture, people and history has laid a firm foundation for fine and comprehensive development of bilateral cooperative relations.

The conference provided a good chance for travel firms from the two countries to exchange information and seek new tours to boost tourism cooperation, the ambassador said.

Vice Chairwoman of the HCM City Tourism Association Nguyen Thi Khanh said last year HCM City received 4.4 million tourists. In addition, she said that the number of HCM City residents that spent holidays abroad was high, accounting for 60-70% of the country's outbound visitors.

Do Thi Kim Lien, South Africa honourable consul in HCM City, revealed that last year her office successfully assisted South African firms in seeking partners to distribute four kinds of red wine –  Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Premium Cap Red in Vietnam.

It also held a number of programmes to advertise South Africa's culture, tourism and cuisine in Vietnam.

The two countries have great economic potential for cooperation, especially in the tourism industry but they have not been fully exploited yet.

The honourable consulate office in HCM City is willing to support businesses in seeking investment opportunities and information about banking, finance and taxes in South Africa, Lien promised.