Representatives of nearly 40 US businesses spoke with Vietnamese legislators on Feb. 28 at the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington D.C. The Vietnamese National Assembly delegation, led by Deputy Chairman Nguyen Van Yeu, arrived in Washington D.C on Feb. 27.

During the meeting, Deputy Chairman Yeu informed the guests of the socio-economic and cultural achievements Viet Nam has made over recent years, particularly its improvements in the investment environment and legal procedures.

He said that the Vietnamese legislative body always supports the Government in creating favourable conditions for foreign investors to both earn a profit and contribute to development in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam has adopted laws that do not differentiate between local and foreign or public and private enterprises, he further said.

Mrs. Frances Zwenig from the US-ASEAN Business Council said the presence of a large number of US businesses' representatives showed that US businesses are interested in the Vietnamese market. She also said that the meeting was a good chance for US businesses to express their opinions on Viet Nam's WTO entry and the granting of permanent normal

trade relations, or PNTR status, to Viet Nam by the US Congress.

Representatives of the participating US businesses, including insurer AIG, forwarder FedEx, aircraft manufacturer Boeing, automobile manufacturers Ford and DaimlerChrysler, mobile phone service provider Motorola, and brewer Diageo briefed the Vietnamese legislators about their operations in Viet Nam. They also proposed that the Vietnamese Government further improve the investment environment and adjust tax policies and investment regulations for US businesses.

All the US participants said that they support Viet Nam's efforts to accede to the world's largest trade organisation and that they will move to persuade the US Congress to grant PNTR status to Viet Nam./.