Ms Ineichen-Fleisch, who is also Head of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), is accompanied by a high-ranking business delegation representing both Swiss business associations and leading enterprises, especially the life sciences industry.

Her four-day visit will focus on bilateral economic cooperation, economic development cooperation as well as trade and investment issues.

The Swiss State Secretary is scheduled to meet with Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and leaders of the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Industry and Trade, Finance, Health and the State Bank of Vietnam on November 16.

She will also work with Le Hoang Quan, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and the City Department of Industry and Trade.

Since early 1990, Switzerland has been actively supporting Vietnam in its transition and development process through bilateral and multilateral cooperation aimed at reducing poverty through sustainable economic growth.

With regard to economic cooperation and development, Vietnam has been a priority country of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) since 2009. SECO has supported stable macro-economic framework conditions by strengthening the financial sector infrastructure, improving the business and trade environment, supporting small and medium sized enterprises and improving the basic infrastructure in the field of wastewater treatment.

Two-way trade between the two countries has increased significantly over the past years, reaching US$3 billion in 2010. By 2010, Swiss had invested US$1,7 billion in the Southeast Asian country, making it Vietnam’s 4th largest European investor.