Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged overseas Vietnamese officesof commercial affairs to work as advisors for the Government, theMinistry of Industry and Trade and businesses in export-importactivities and international integration.

The Deputy PM wasspeaking at a commercial counselor conference which is taking place inHo Chi Minh City on December 16-31.

Sharing Dam’s views,Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang laid stress on the need forcommercial counselors to focus on export promotion, especially in keyand potential markets.

He suggested them grasp hostcountries’ demands for commodities in order to give advice to domesticenterprises on the way to expand their overseas markets.

Itis necessary for the commercial affairs offices to seek new markets forbusinesses apart from traditional ones, the minister said.

At the conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son alsohighlighted a renovation in consultation work of the counselors as wellas closer coordination of domestic stakeholders.

Deputy PMDam urged ministries, branches and localities to partner with theMinistry of Industry and Trade to help commercial counselors betterperform their bridging role.

Vietnam has the right topin high hope on strong changes in commercial affairs if all above arewell done, he said, adding that the better performance will be reflectedthrough the country’s bright trade picture in the time ahead.

Over the past time, thanks to the officers of commercial affairs, manydomestic enterprises have tied up with Vietnamese partners abroad orthose in host countries, thus expanding their exports.

Vietnam now has 55 commercial affairs offices, seven commercialaffairs branches and one trade promotion centre which scatter acrossfive continents with a staff of 122 officials.-VNA