Briefs

Laos and Belarus have reaffirmed a commitment to boosting ties.
Ways to improve relations were |discussed when Belarus’ ambassador Vladimir Goshin presented his credentials to Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit on Tuesday.
Goshin also met officials from Lao ministries concerned with bilateral |cooperation. He stressed the need to intensify trade and economic ties and expand the legal framework of cooperation between the two countries.
In foreign affairs, the parties discussed ways of enhancing bilateral relations in all areas.
The parties agreed to speed up the harmonising of the documents for the legal framework of cooperation.
The ambassador and officials from the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment reviewed the implementation of the protocol of the joint commission and the preparations for the third |meeting of the Lao-Belarusian |intergovernmental commission on |bilateral cooperation.
Regarding a science and technology framework, the parties also discussed setting up a joint laboratory to study the quality of mineral resources in Laos and the forms of crediting for Belarusian exports to Laos.
In the 2000s, commodity turnover between the two countries exceeded US$11 million. Laos is interested in Belarusian equipment, tyres and |organisation of joint projects in the |pharmaceuticals and food industries.
Diplomatic relations between Laos and Belarus were established in 1994. —Vientiane Times

Vietnam cements role as
key exporter to Canada
Vietnam remained Asia’s fifth biggest exporter to Canada in 2016, after mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
The country also led Asean in two-way turnover with Canada at $4.14 billion |last year, a 1.1 per cent increase year on year, according to the Statistics |Canada.
Vietnam’s exports to Canada touched $3.7 billion (up 17.1 per cent), while its imports dropped to $396.5 million (down 23.2 per cent). As a result, Vietnam’s trade surplus with Canada grew to $3.3 billion in 2016, up 24.7 per cent from the previous year.
Hoang Anh Dung, the Vietnamese commercial counsellor to Canada, said the country’s exports to Canada were satisfactory considering that the total export turnover of the 10 Asean countries to Canada rose only 2.8 per cent, and the Asean+6 group of countries saw negative export growth last year.
Exports from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines decreased by 2.3 per cent, 6.6 per cent, 5.4 per cent, 1.1 per cent and 8.1 per cent, respectively.
Among Vietnam’s commodities shipped to Canada, the highest growth was seen in machines, electric and electronic products, suitcases, handbags and sports equipment.
The country’s import turnover in coal, timber and wooden products from Canada soared, while cereal and fertiliser imports saw strong declines. — Viet Nam News

Surabaya’s SMEs seek
more business from malls
The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has called on Surabaya mayor Tri Rismaharini to give small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) better access to shopping malls in the East Java capital.
“At least 50 per cent of what is displayed in modern retail outlets should be products of SMEs,” Kadin Surabaya chairman Jamhadi said on Wednesday, as reported by tempo.co.
With better supervision from the| government, SMEs could produce high-quality products to meet national |standards, Jamhadi said. The local|government might purchase machinery for each district in the city with city |budget funds, so that the SMEs could |rent the equipment to boost their |productivity, he added.
“Kadin Surabya is ready to help bring about such partnerships,” he said, adding that the SME products could also be sold through online shops.
Jamhadi said his organisation had called on the Surabaya administration and the Surabaya City Council to draft a bylaw covering creative industries that includes incentives for SMEs.
“I propose that the Trade Agency and Kadin Surabaya establish a focus |group discussion on economic issues in Surabaya,” he said. — The Jakarta Post