Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has requested Vietnamese trade commissioners to ask themselves if they are trying hard enough at work, and suggested that they do their job with more passion and diligence.

Trade commissioners are officials who present the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade in a foreign land.

These personnel can either work at the Vietnamese embassies or trade offices in other countries, mainly tasked with promoting international trade agreements and export trade programs on behalf of the Vietnamese government

At the Trade Commissioner Conference held by the trade ministry in Hanoi on Wednesday, PM Phuc underlined that these officials should make a self-evaluation of their working attitude.

In his remarks, the premier told the conference a story about a Japanese trade commissioner in Vietnam, who has managed to have good relationships with local authorities and traversed the country for his work.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers remarks at a conference in Hanoi on February 7, 2018. Photo: VGP

That Japanese official has equipped himself with an extensive knowledge about Vietnamese laws and is always ready to fight for his country with regard to trade barriers set by Vietnam, PM Phuc said, adding this is a great example Vietnamese trade commissioners should learn from.

“Can we Vietnamese trade commissioners do the same?” he questioned.

“Can we be so absorbed in work, or have we been quite complacent about our job?”

The premier underlined that he raised those questions for the trade officials to get their own answers.

PM Phuc also underlined that trade commissioners should not do their tasks half-heartedly or without passion.

Be more proactive

Vietnam’s exports in 2017 topped US$214.01 billion, a 21 percent jump from 2016. This sent the country’s total export-import turnover to $425.12 billion, with the government now targeting to increase the number to $500 billion in the next two years.

To this end, PM Phuc told the trade commissioners that they have to try to make Vietnam’s export stables, including fruit and vegetables, seafood and rice generate annual revenue of more than $10 billion each.

“Amid this fast-changing global economy, every commissioner and trade office has to proactively try to get to know what needs to be done to promote Vietnamese exports,” the prime minister said.

Instead of waiting for businesses to come to seek help, trade commissioners should provide information to and assist Vietnamese enterprises even before they need them, he added.

Upon taking office in 2016, PM Phuc pledged to build a pro-creativity government that supports businesses with the motto of “discipline, integrity, action, creativity and effectiveness.”

He demanded that trade commissioners also do their job in this spirit, knowing that the government is always willing to help them when needed.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers remarks at a conference in Hanoi on February 7, 2018. Photo: VGP

A Vietnamese trade office is typically tasked with enhancing government to government trade relations, monitoring and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese enterprises, and providing business information and guidance to Vietnamese firms interested in doing business in the host country.

The office also works to promote Vietnam’s national image and the brand names of made-in-Vietnam products.