Chile is the third-largest wine exporter to Vietnam

The Chilean Ambassador to Vietnam said this week's Chilean Week (April 13-18) event aims to promote Chilean brands in Vietnam while boosting trade, tourism and investment with Vietnam.

Chilean Week was launched late Wednesday by ProChile, a Chilean export promotion agency.

The first-ever event includes an investment and trade seminar, a Chilean Food Show and other events promoting wine and agricultural products from the South American country while introducing trade and investment opportunities to local businesses.

In Ho Chi Minh City Thursday, Chilean Ambassador Jorge Canelas said he wanted to enhance the Chilean-Vietnamese relationship, which he noted was a 37-year-long friendship so far.

He said the two countries had made notable economic, cultural and social achievements over the years.

Chile is the third-largest wine exporter to Vietnam, accounting for 12.8 percent of the countr's wine imports in 2007, a two-fold increase compared to 2006.

Vietnam is Chile's second largest timber market.

About 19.8 percent of Vietnam's timber imports came from Chilean suppliers last year.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached about US$200 million last year, including $120 million in exports from Chile.

The South American country mainly imports rice, coffee, shoes and textile from Vietnam.

The ambassador said favorite Chilean imports into Vietnam included grapes, apples, kiwis, salmon, timber, fertilizer and bronze.

The two countries plan to negotiate a free trade agreement in the near future.