Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan addresses the forum.

A 2010 forum for Vietnamese businessmen and women opened in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday.

The forum entitled “Vietnam’s Economy in the Post-crisis Period: Opportunities and Challenges”, jointly held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnamese Businesswomen’s Council, drew almost 500 businesses from all domestic and foreign economic sectors and the outstanding Vietnamese businesswomen of 2009.

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan said that while the global economy showed signs of recovery in 2010, a number of Vietnam’s major import markets remained stagnant.

Some countries have re-implemented protectionist measures, causing difficulties to Vietnamese businesses in maintaining and expanding their outlets, she added.

To cope with the situation, the Vice President suggested businesses restructure and maintain traditional export markets and develop their involvement in the domestic market along with increasing productivity and enhancing corporate responsibility.

She called on the Vietnamese business community to further bring into play their patriotic spirit and solidarity to take on the challenges ahead, strengthen Vietnam’s trademarks and contribute to the national economy.

The World Bank country director in Vietnam Victoria Kwakwa said that businesses should seek ways to restructure, define their strengths and shortcomings and increase productivity by applying new production technologies and seeking new outlets.

Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hong took the occasion to highlight the important contributions made by outstanding Vietnamese businesswomen in 2009 to the nation while the country is being affected by the global economic downturn. (VNA)