Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will host the 2013 Commercial Counselor Conference and its associated events from December 16-31. The information was announced by Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Nguyen Cam Tu at a December 10 press briefing in Hanoi. Speaking to the press on December 10, Tu said the event promotes economic, trading, and market activities abroad, strengthening Vietnamese exports and removing bureaucratic obstacles hindering businesses. In addition to boosting economic growth, the conference also aims to enhance coordination and support between the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and its state and government counterparts. These improvements contribute to meeting set national economic development targets and encourage local enterprises to explore foreign partnerships. The conference’s opening sessions will feature briefings on foreign markets, foreign trade office priorities, foreign investment in Vietnam and Vietnamese investment abroad, and the export activities of associations and localities. Delegates will also address international economic integration, import-export strategies, Free Trade Agreement negotiation strategies, trade promotion, competition, and international energy, industrial, and chemical cooperation. Ambassadors and trade councilors will gather at a meeting between the diplomatic and industry and trade sectors to compare notes on their respective approaches to international economic integration. Representatives from People’s Committees, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Trade Promotion Centre, and business associations will meet for dialogues. A seminar in An Giang will focus on agricultural and seafood product exports from the Mekong Delta provinces. VOV