SL-Vietnam Business Forum a success: President visits Cu-Chi tunnels and “Museum of War Remnants”

An overwhelming enthusiasm was seen at today's Vietnam- Sri Lanka Business Forum held over there with a large number of Vietnam business magnates participating in the presence of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ministerial team and Lankan business delegation at Sheraton Hotel, Hanoi.

The Vietnam organizers expected only 120 Vietnamese businessmen to attend the forum, but 180 businessmen attended the meeting to discuss bilateral investment opportunities in both countries.

Sri Lankan Investment Promotion Minister, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa addressing the forum stressed that the peaceful climax in Sri Lanka was now favorable for foreign investors and invited Vietnamese entrepreneurs to invest in Sri Lanka.

He said the country was now politically stabilized and there was great opportunity to invest in the rubber, automobile, agriculture and food processing, textile and apparel, electricity and aquaculture sectors.

Minister Yapa added that the Board of Investment in Sri Lanka offered incentives and tax holidays to prospective investors.

Vice- chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council, Nguyen Thanh Tai claimed Vietnam was a fast growing economy with a very high level of foreign investment to the tune of US $ 168.4 billion and in 2008 it had been US $ 70 billion, a remarkable figure.

He said Vietnam was very pleased with the visit of the Sri Lankan President and hoped that investment between the two countries would enhance in the future.

He further elaborated that his country had a population of 86.5 million with a 95 per cent literacy. The GDP stands 1023 US $ with a growth rate of 6.25 per cent.

Minister of Enterprise Development, Prof.GL Peiris expressed appreciation for Vietnam's support at the UN and other international forums. He said Sri Lanka was in the lead to support the recognition of a re-unified Vietnam in the early 1970s.

Prof. Peiris said the business investment atmosphere in Sri Lanka was favorable and noted that the offer of bonds of US $ 500 million was oversubscribed 14 times, a significant feature of an economy.

He added that Sri Lanka would support Vietnam for the chairmanship of ASIEN in 2010.

The minister commended the investment promotion agreement entered into by both countries during the current official visit of the Sri Lankan President.

President Rajapaksa later visited the Cu Chi underground tunnel located 70kms from Ho Chi Minh City in the Northwest. It consist a network of underground tunnels stretching for over 200km that underlie much of the country. These tunnels were constructed by the people of Vietnam to avoid enemy attacks during the war in Vietnam.

President Rajapaksa visited the ‘Museum of War Remnants’ established in 1975 in Ho Chi Minh City this morning (24). The Museum contains documents and photographs illustrating the killing of civilians, spreading of chemicals, torturing of prisoners, and the effects of the war by foreign enemies. Outside the museum are some rooms displaying cultural products of Vietnam.

The President was shocked observing the photographs that recalled the atrocities committed by foreign invaders in Vietnam and the cruel and inhuman acts that killed innocent people of Vietnam. He expressed his heartfelt grief over the anti-human incidents caused by the foreign armies.

- Asian Tribune