APPLE CEO PAYS VISIT

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received the visiting CEO of Apple, Mr. Tim Cook, in Hanoi on April 16. He said the growing Vietnam-US relations, which have been upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation across all fields, particularly science and technology, innovation, high-quality human resources training, semiconductors, and digital transformation. He suggested that the US giant voice its support for the US recognizing Vietnam as a market economy and removing it from the high-tech export restriction list. The Prime Minister also affirmed that Vietnam creates the most favorable conditions possible and accompanies and supports enterprises, including foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs), to operate effectively and sustainably in the country. Mr. Cook, for his part, told his host that there remains significant space for further cooperation and better results can be achieved in the future. With two legal entities in Vietnam, over 70 manufacturing partners producing original equipment, 40 distribution partners, and over 5,000 authorized stores, Apple has provided jobs for about 200,000 people in Vietnam. It hopes to further strengthen its investment in the country, particularly in developing high-tech products and applications, Mr. Cook said.