goGLOBAL! Luncheon Meeting                                                                          

Vietnam Business Opportunities

with the Embassy of Vietnam presenting

The Voice of Vietnam in the Lowcountry

This past week, three gentlemen originally from Vietnam, who now reside in Washington, D.C. and work at the Embassy of Vietnam, traveled to Charleston to speak at a South Carolina World Trade Center (SCWTC) Luncheon. They brought with them the voice of business and culture from over 9,000 miles away.

 (left to right) Mr. Ngo Van Thoan, Trade Counselor, Head of Trade Section; Ken Fox, Chairman, SC World Trade Center;Mr. Bui Liem, Counselor for Investment Affairs; Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh, Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission; Belinda Davis, Executive Director, SC World Trade Center.

Arriving early Tuesday afternoon at the CHS airport, Mr. Minh Nguyen, Mr. Thoan Ngo, and Mr. Liem Bui settled into their historical and beautiful downtown accommodations at the Barksdale House. Right in the middle of the College of Charleston campus, they got to explore and take in our own culture and history that Charleston holds so dear. Later on that evening, Executive Director Belinda Davis and Chairman Ken Fox of the SC World Trade Center took them out to dinner at Water’s Edge on Shem Creek to get acquainted with some of the charm our city has to offer as well as to meet some of our prominent business representatives such as Oriental Overseas Container Line (OOCL) and the SC State Ports Authority. 

 

The real essence of their program in Charleston began 8 am on Wednesday morning, January 23 at the Sylvia Vlosky Jewish Studies Center, College of Charleston. During a private breakfast, students and professors participated in an informal discussion on economics, cultural preservation, trade statistics, and the general history of Vietnam. Following the breakfast meeting, the delegation had the unique opportunity to take a tour of the Port of Charleston.

 

Arriving at the Embassy Suites North Charleston- Airport/Hotel & Convention Center a little before noon, the three Vietnamese visitors settled in for their presentations on trade and investment. With over 60 attendees at the luncheon meeting, the atmosphere was one of curiosity and attentiveness.

 

A few fascinating facts presented during the luncheon by the Head of Trade Section, Mr. Thoan, and the Counselor for Investment Affairs, Mr. Liem:

• Vietnam GDP growth rate is at the highest it has ever been with an estimated 8.75% for 2008.
• Slightly larger than New Mexico at 329,560 sq km, Vietnam has a population of 85.3 million!
• The literacy rate is an impressive 90.3% and the unemployment rate is only 2%.
• Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization in January 2007.
• Numerous incentives to invest in Vietnam including corporate income tax breaks; import tax incentives; land and water surface rent incentives; as well as investment opportunities.

 

The South Carolina World Trade Center hosts many visitors throughout the year from all over the world for seminars and events similar to this one. Visit our website at www.scwtc.org and contact us at info@scwtc.org for more info.

Sponsors:

(left to right) Ken Fox, Chairman, SC World Trade Center; Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh, Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission; Mike Westerfield, General Manager of Cargo Sales, SC State Ports Authority; Jason Odgers, Account Manager, OOCL; Mr. Bui Liem, Counselor for Investment Affairs; Mr. Ngo Van Thoan, Trade Counselor, Head of Trade Section; Belinda Davis, Executive Director, SC World Trade Center