HANOI: The Peruvian Embassy in Vietnam opened this May following 21 years of diplomatic relations between Peru and Vietnam.Trade between the two countries reached US$300 million in 2014.
Vietnam brings domestic experience to investments from Vietnamese firms in Peru in telecoms, and oil and gas. In telecoms, Viettel Group, wholly owned by Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense, launched its Bitel branded mobile phone network in Peru in October 2014. State-owned oil company PetroVietnam holds stakes in Peruvian oil blocks near the border with Ecuador.
The first Peruvian Ambassador to Vietnam, Ambassador Berninzon, has expressed a desire to promote further cooperation between the two countries in all respects, particularly in preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forums. Peru will host APEC in 2016, and Vietnam will in 2017.Vietnam is expected to open an embassy soon in Lima.