The fifth meeting of the Pakistan-Vietnam Joint Trade Commission (JTC) was held in Hanoi on Friday, marking the reactivation of the institutional forum after a hiatus of eight years.
The session was co-chaired by Pakistan's Additional Commerce Secretary Nasir Hamid and Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang. The signing of agreed minutes was witnessed by Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Vietnam's Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, said a statement.
The committee reviewed the current state of bilateral trade and outlined future cooperation in key areas including trade facilitation, market access, textile, fisheries, Halal certification, civil aviation, healthcare and banking channels.
Both sides agreed to initiate negotiations on a Pakistan-Vietnam Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2025 and underscored the need for enhancing institutional and business linkages for sustained trade growth.
The meeting concluded with the commitment to unlocking the untapped trade potential between the two countries. The sixth session of the Joint Trade Commission will be held in Pakistan at a mutually convenient time.
Separately, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan held a bilateral meeting with Vietnam's Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien to strengthen economic cooperation and explore new avenues for bilateral trade and investment.
The high-level meeting took place in a spirit of mutual friendship and partnership, reflecting the growing economic and diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Vietnam.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral trade relations and explored key areas such as trade diversification, market access, investment promotion and collaboration in industrial development.
The two ministers emphasised the need for enhanced business-to-business linkages, promotion of joint ventures and cooperation in the fields of textile, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, information technology and energy. Discussions also focused on reducing trade barriers and working towards the PTA.
Jam Kamal highlighted Pakistan's strategic location and offered Vietnam greater access to Central Asian and Mideast markets through regional connectivity projects. Nguyen Hong Dien expressed Vietnam's interest in increasing imports of Pakistani rice, textiles and leather products and welcomed Pakistan's investment in Vietnam's manufacturing and tech sectors.
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