General Director of the Saigon Plastic Packaging JSC Duong Quoc Thai (centre) was named as Honorary Consul General.

The Pakistani Embassy in Vietnam on February 21 launched a Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, which is expected to help further the connectivity between the two countries. 

Duong Quoc Thai, General Director of the Saigon Plastic Packaging JSC, was named as Honorary Consul General.

Addressing the ceremony, Pakistani Ambassador to Vietnam Zaigham Uddin Azam said the move will contribute to boosting future trade and co-operation between Pakistan and Vietnam, HCM City in particular.

Together with the embassy in Hanoi, the new Consulate General will work to enhance the bilateral multifaceted co-operation towards a target of US$2 billion in two-way trade by 2020, he said.

Nguyen Hong Linh, Director of the HCM City Municipal Department of External Affairs praised this new development, describing it as an evidence of Pakistan’s desire to foster ties with Vietnam and the city..

The new Consulate General will be an information centre for businesses that are keen on seeking investment opportunities and partnership in Pakistan, he stressed.

Setting up diplomatic ties on November 8, 1972, Vietnam and Pakistan have co-operated on various programmes in agriculture, education-training and science-technology.

The two countries are working to expand their co-operation to other fields, including information and telecommunications, finance-banking and health care.

Bilateral trade has seen a sharp yearly increase of 25% and hit US$500 million in 2013.

Nhan Dan Online