(VOVworld) – Vietnam is on the path to greater development. The country has a lot of potential. Vietnam is a peaceful nation of friendly and hospitable people. These are comments about Vietnam by foreigners living and working here.
In recent years, Vietnam has been seen as a regional highlight with impressive achievements in various fields. Its diplomatic relations with other countries have progressed well. Its international position has been strengthened. Romanian Charge d’affaires Valeriu Arteni says: “Romania’s new investment projects focus on the oil and gas sector - an oil refinery, for example. Romania is involved in the construction of Vietnam’s first oil refinery in Dung Quat. Vietnam is Romania’s top partner in ASEAN. Vietnam and Romania have developed a strategic partnership and a special legal framework for cooperation. Our two nations have a time-honored friendly relationship and cooperation aimed toward the future.”
2012 was a difficult year for the global economy, and Vietnam was unable to completely avoid its impact. But foreign direct investment to Vietnam remained stable at 13 billion USD. Vietnam offers some favorable conditions for foreign investors, such as an abundant, young, and dynamic workforce, a big consumer market, a strategic geographical position, and an increasingly liberal economy. Tobias Lim, a Singaporean businessman, says. “I’m in the food and beverage business which is quite a good business in Vietnam. It’s important to make your products suit the consumers’ taste. In the beginning, I focused on foreign residents, mainly South Koreans.”
According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, about 78,000 foreigners are living, working, and studying in Vietnam. Many of them come to Vietnam to work because they love this country and its people. Brenda Meiklejohn, an Australian, had been to many countries before choosing Vietnam as her long-term home. She has been in Vietnam for 9 years. She says friendly Vietnamese colleagues in Australia and the good time she had visiting Vietnam made her decide to make Vietnam her second home. After years of living with a Vietnamese family, she understands the neighborliness of a Vietnamese community. “I’ve been to the market in the morning. It’s very busy. It’s the best time to go in the morning. The sellers are usually very good. They would tell you: “You should not have this. You should have this.” I enjoy going up to the market. The food looks inviting and fresh.”
In its integration process, Vietnam has attracted a growing number of foreign tourists. In January, the country welcomed 65 thousand foreign tourists, an increase of 2.2% over last year. The US Tours Operator Association (USTOA) predicted that Vietnam will be among the top destinations for international travelers in 2013. Vietnam’s world cultural heritages and scenic wonders attract many foreigners. Katherine Muller-Marin, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam, says: “I like Vietnam a lot. I’ve traveled a lot. I eat a lot of food and I like almost everything I’ve been trying. Traveling from the north to south, I understand the different things, different places, and different ways of cooking, dressing, and behaving. It’s amazing to see how many different cultures make up one single country.”
Vietnam is on its path of industrialization and modernization, but it is Vietnam’s traditional culture and friendly people that comprise its strong attraction to foreign friends.
Le Phuong