The visit to Vietnam in November 1993 covered both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) & Hanoi. The trip coincided with the period just before the US lifted its trade embargo with Vietnam, a period when foreign investment interest in the country was probably at an all time high.
The delegation was indeed fortunate to garner support and backing from both the Singapore and Vietnam authorities. An official country briefing was delivered by Mr Goh Seow Kwang, Singapore's Consul in Ho Chi Minh City. This preceded the overview of the Vietnam market presented by Colliers Jardine.
Briefing sessions and visits were conducted on a number of major hotel development projects undertaken by Natsteel, Low Keng Huat (S) Pte Ltd, and New World Development Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong , and on an office development project by Steamship Investment & Development Pte Ltd.
A departure from the mainstream development projects was shown through a visit to the Song Be Golf Resort that was currently being developed in Ho Chi Minh City.
On arrival in Hanoi the delegation was honoured to be joined at dinner by Mr Ong Lu King, Singapore's Charge d'Affaires, his wife and his team, and even more fortunate to receive an official address by Mr Ong that covered the country's political and socio-economic climate ahead of the impending lifting of the trade embargo.
The high point of the visit was the half-day briefing session at the Ministry of Construction, Hanoi, delivered by Prof Dr Pham Sy Liem, Vice Minister of Construction. He summarised for the delegation the investment and development frameworks available for real estate and construction in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and together with his team fielded questions on the topics.
To round out the visit, the group was briefed on specific investment arrangements and guidelines by Viet-Sin International Pte Ltd, a business development firm based in Hanoi.
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Reception by the Vice Minister of Construction
Meeting in Hanoi
Vietnam Delegation at Ministry of Construction
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Inspection of a Vietnam Construction site
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on site with Dr Lawrence Chin, Vietnam
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