Diverse online activities to boost exports to Singapore

What activities have you undertaken to support Vietnamese exporters?

The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore has taken many initiatives despite the social distancing measures still in effect in Singapore.

The office has collected information related to the public procurement demand of the Singaporean government, and implemented trade promotion and business matching activities. In addition, the office has worked with the representative office of Vietnam Airlines in Singapore to arrange preferential shipping rates lower than the market price for Vietnam’s exports to Singapore.

The office has also connected six businesses of the host country and Vietnam to organize live streaming cooking shows, with the participation of famous Singaporean Youtuber Jianhao Tan. This is a creative and effective trade promotion activity amid the Covid-19 pandemic, helping Singaporeans identify more clearly Vietnam’s cuisine.

Vietnamese trade offices abroad have implemented trade promotion activities on digital platforms and boosted application of information technology to ensure their continued operations. How do you evaluate the issue?

Online conferences are considered the optimal plan in the current context. Singaporean businesses are very interested in this form. They see it as a secure connection channel, helping reduce costs for both sides.

The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore has strengthened connections with industry associations of the host country to deploy a series of online conferences in order to promote Vietnam’s processed food, agro-fishery products, furniture, and consumer goods such as ceramics, glassware, kitchenware and household plastics. These conferences are organized through the Zoom application. In addition, the office has organized virtual B2B matching activities to help businesses interact and overcome the geographical obstacles imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a way to circumvent the supply chain disruptions and keep up with the new paradigms in doing business.

Application of information technology has proven efficient. However, Vietnamese businesses claim that some foreign companies have conducted deception through the internet. What are your recommendations to limit such fraud?

The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore regularly supports domestic businesses in handling contractual and payment disputes, as well as verifying business information. Due to the nature of the area, regulations on establishing businesses in Singapore are relatively simple. With the growth of information technology, the establishment of virtual offices in Singapore has developed, with the participation of traders from China, Africa and Southern Asia. Therefore, when signing contracts and doing business with companies headquartered in Singapore, the office proposes that firms take the initiative in coordination with legal consulting offices of the host country.

Source: VEN