Ha Noi (VNA) – Representatives from the world’s leading companies and groups will gather in Ha Noi this week for frank discussions on investment policies and business climate with representatives from the Vietnamese Government and relevant ministries in the context of Viet Nam being hailed as one of the dynamic economies in Asia.

The first Business Roundtable with the Government of Viet Nam is jointly organised by the Economist Conferences from the UK’s leading The Economist and the Viet Nam Foreign Ministry’s World and Vietnam Report.

The international meeting themed “ Viet Nam – A rising star in Asia ”, scheduled to talk place on January 8 and 9, is a chance for foreign businesses to hear the Vietnamese Government’s guidelines and policies as well as raise their views.

“It will make people better informed, have a clearer view of the country and also opportunities to invest,” Vice President of the Hong Kong-Shanghai Bank Corporation (HSBC) in Viet Nam David Morton said.

Meanwhile, Director of the Dragon Capitla Dominic Scriven said the meeting would reflect the Government’s concern on the business circles. During the two-day meeting, participants will discuss issues reports relating to Viet Nam’s economy such as banking reform, creation of new opportunities for foreign investors and sustainable human resource development. A meeting between foreign and domestic businesses will be held within the framework of the event.

“For Viet Nam, the event will attract leading officials from foreign and domestic economic groups. Through the meeting, investors could continue expanding their operation, thus generating more jobs,” Hoang Anh Tuan, Development Director of General Electric International said.

In 2007, Viet Nam registered an economic growth rate of 8.48 percent, the highest in the past 10 years, with GPD per capital standing at 833 USD.

Viet Nam has become foreign investors’ destination as the country attracted a record foreign direct investment (FDI) of more than 20.3 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of about 70 percent.

Besides, pledged official development assistance (ODA) from foreign donors hit 5.4 billion USD last year, 20 percent higher than the previous year. The year 2007 marked the first time Viet Nam’s ODA disbursement surpassed its plan of 2 billion USD, a year-on-year of 10 percent. This has helped increase foreign investors’ trust in Viet Nam ’s investment climate.-Enditem