Mashatile engages Vietnam leaders at forum

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Friday lead a South African delegation at the South Africa Vietnam Business Forum in Sandton where he will also hold a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh.

The forum forms part of the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s programme while attending the G20 Summit taking place at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg over the weekend.

The engagement follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent State Visit to Vietnam in October which strengthened cooperation between the two countries after years of sustained diplomatic efforts. Vietnam’s strong economic growth and its role within ASEAN continue to position the country as a key partner for South Africa as it seeks to diversify its economic links in Asia.

Deputy President Mashatile said strengthening ties with Vietnam expands access to fast growing Asian markets and supports South Africa’s efforts to attract investment, grow trade and advance its priorities in multilateral platforms. The Business Forum is organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in partnership with the South African Chamber of Commerce.

More than 180 South African companies have registered to attend the forum. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by several ministers and nearly 20 Vietnamese companies including PetroVietNam and MK Group which held engagements with President Ramaphosa during his State Visit.

The MK Group is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Reutech Radar System and Tower 35 while another memorandum is due to be signed between Viettravel and Airlink. The event will take place at the Capital Empire Hotel in Sandton on Friday.