TURKISH BUSINESS WORLD LANDED IN SINGAPORE AND VIETNAM

TURKISH BUSINESS WORLD LANDED IN SINGAPORE AND VIETNAM

The first of the Business Forums organized within scope of the official visit of Republic of Turkey Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım to Singapore and Vietnam between August 21 and 24, 2017 was held in Singapore while Vietnam hosted the second one accordingly. Putting into use of the Free Trade Agreements, the suggestions for increasing the bilateral trade volume and sectors with high potential were on the agenda within the scope of the forums. Facility visits and senior level meetings were organized within the scope of the delegation visits that also hosted bilateral business negotiations.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, delivered a speech in Singapore-Turkey Business Forum, held on August 21, 2017 with the coordination of DEİK and with the participation of Republic of Turkey Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Republic of Turkey Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci, Singaporean Minister of Trade and Industry S. Iswaran, DEİK President Ömer Cihad Vardan, DEİK/Turkey-Singapore Business Council President İ. Süha Güçsav andTurkey-Singapore Business Council Co-President David Yang as well as approximately 200 Turkish and Singaporean business people, stated that that there are substantial opportunities between Singapore and Turkey in terms of economy and trade. Prime Minister Yıldırım stated, "Singapore is in possession of strong financial resources and Turkey has a substantial fund of know-how and experience, particularly in construction area. We will be capable of doing fabulous and great works by means of coalescence of experience with financial means". Republic of Turkey Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekcistarted his speech by reminding that the Free Trade Agreement concluded on November 2015 between Singapore and Turkey is the most comprehensive agreement ever signed in Turkish history and the most inclusionary agreement in terms of sectors and noted that they aim to reach to a trade volume worth of 2 billion USD between Turkey and Singapore by the end of 2018. Minister Zeybekci stated that this Agreement would provide leverage especially with respect to making joint business in third countries, further noted, ""2018 would be a brand-new year of inception for Turkey and Singapore", invited Singaporean business world representatives to effectively benefit and practice upon the investment and incentive thrust initiated by Turkey." Singaporean Minister of Trade and Industry S. Iswaran pointed out in his speech that bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Singapore for the recent years has increased rapidly. Minister Iswaran, stating that the Free Trade Agreement concluded and approved between both countries shall come into effect as of October 2017, invited both Turkish and Singaporean business worlds to substantially and accurately practice upon and benefit from the opportunities offered by the Agreement. DEİK President Ömer Cihad Vardan stated that the Business Forum organized fell within a highly substantial timeframe in terms of economical relations with Turkey and Singapore. Vardan, reminding that the Free Trade Agreements concluded between Turkey and Singapore were approved by both countries, further expressed that they are looking forward for the agreement to come into effect.DEİK President Vardan, stating that they are now able to practice upon the potential within the economic and commercial area between Singapore and Turkey even more effectively and efficiently by means of the Free Trade Agreement, noted, "Turkey's Asia-Pacific Regional policy that is rapidly progressing has a highly substantial importance for us, the business people. We are capable of making quite distinctive businesses through the partnership of Turkey and Singapore partnership not only between us but also in the third countries."President Vardan, stating that Turkey proceeds with firm steps to build upon strong political, diplomatic and security ties within Asia-Pacific Region, further noted, "Establishment of the strong economical and trade ties is the most fundamental task of ours. Therefore, within this framework, we attach great importance for Turkey being ASEAN Sector-specific Dialog Partner. Thus, I believe that our trade volume with ASEAN countries in where Singapore is among the founding countries will rapidly increase accordingly."DEİK/Turkey-Singapore Business Council President İ. Süha Güçsav stated that a major Singaporean investment is about to arrive in Turkey in the very near future and further noted that they desire for the amicable relations and friendship between both countries to last forever.

 

Vietnam-Turkey Business Forum, attracting a great deal of interest from Turkish and Vietnamese business world representatives, was held on August 24, 2017 in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnamwith the coordination of DEİK. Republic of Turkey Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, addressed the participants of the Forum that was organized with the participations of Republic of Turkey Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue,Republic of Turkey Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci, DEİK President Ömer Cihad Vardan, DEİK/Turkey-Vietnam Business Council President Necati Abacıoğlu, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Deputy President Dr. Doan Duy Khuong, defined Turkey and Vietnam as ‘two countries with similar objectives' and stated that they aspire for the political and economic relations with Vietnam to be further developed and improved within this scope. Prime Minister Yıldırım further noted that the approval processes of Agreements concluded with Vietnam in 2014 were finalized and stated that the investments of Turkish investors in Vietnam as of the year 2017 are worth 700 million USD. Prime Minister Yıldırım noted that they are looking for the initiation of the negotiations for Free Trade Agreement between Turkey and Vietnam as immediate as possible. Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue stated that the trade volume between Vietnam and foreign countries has demonstrated a rapid increase within the last 20 years. Deputy Prime Minister invited Turkish investors to invest particularly in sectors creating high added value. Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, reminding the target of bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Vietnam as of the year 2020 set at 4 billion USD, stated that this target would be able to be achieved by means of cooperation to be established and cooperation agreements to be concluded within various sectors. Republic of Turkey Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci defined Vietnam and Turkey as "two brave countries" in his speech and Vietnam, located at the heart of geography with one billion population, hosts a substantial potential for Turkey. Minister of Economy Zeybekci, noting that trade relation between the two countries is required to be rendered more balanced and sustainable for the upcoming years, said that they would like to welcome Vietnamese officials in Turkey at the end of this year. Minister of Economy Zeybekci, expressing that they are ready to initiate the negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Vietnam, further said, "We are ready to negotiate an agreement in which both Turkey and Vietnam have a win-win situation".DEİK President Ömer Cihad Vardanstated in his speech that they aspire to establish a brand within the Asia-Pacific Region by means of both countries getting familiar with each other and utilizing the potential within in the most accurate and effective ways. DEİK President Vardan further stated, "We are quite optimistic and hopeful about the Business Forum for the future and we consider this as a new and fresh start and a step to be taken within our economic activities." President Vardan, mentioning that they would like to be involved in motorway, harbour, airport and railway construction projects of Vietnam as Turkish contractors, further stated, "We are seeing the marvellous potential in tourism and tertiary sectors and we would like to proclaim that. When it comes to Vietnam, we are thinking of not only Vietnam but also Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma."