Philippe R. Scholtes, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Representative in Vietnam, stressed that the progress Vietnam has made on the export front is very impressive. 



At a press conference to announce the 2006 awards for Vietnamese scientific and technical creations held in Hanoi on April 6, Scholtes said that it is very unusual for a country like Vietnam, which has a GDP (Gross Domestic Production) per capita of about US $600, to have such a high proportion of manufactured products in its exports. 

He said: “Usually developing countries that have a low level of income per capita tend to export mostly agricultural products. But in Vietnam , over 70% of the total exports are actually coming from the manufacturing industry. This means that Vietnamese enterprises have the capacity to produce in conditions that are competitive to penetrate into foreign markets.” 

He took the Vinacafe company as a typical example, saying “This is a company that has succeeded in exporting its products in a very large number of countries. This means that the company has the technology, marketing skills and also the way to trademark its products in other countries.”



The UNIDO representative said that Vietnamese scientists have made innovations and scientific discoveries that play an active role in developing the country’s industry. However, he said, many enterprises are not yet fully aware of the importance of protecting the intellectual property rights of their creations and discoveries as well as the trademarks of their products. This must be improved, he said, so that Vietnamese enterprises can continue being successful after Vietnam joins the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

He also recognised efforts that Vietnam has made in building a legal system that is compliant with WTO and international integration.

(Sourch: VNA)