I'm genuinely delighted to be leading the first of the GREAT Weeks missions to Vietnam and looking forward to discovering the opportunities this exciting market offers to UK companies.
The mission is also part of a programme celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Vietnam, and so is particularly significant.
With a population of around 90 million, and growth averaging 7 per cent over the past decade, this growing middle class means demand for imports in Vietnam is expected to expand faster than any other emerging market.
UK exports have already more than doubled in the last five years – but there is scope for much, much more. As an advocate of creativity, I'm particularly keen to see the UK excel in this sector, and this is why I am particularly pleased to be personally supporting this mission.
With 60 per cent of Vietnam’s population under the age of 30, interest in western creativity is increasing rapidly, and UK film, TV and music are becoming ever more popular.
There is also a real and rapidly growing need for vocational training in Vietnam, with the Vietnamese authorities increasingly aware of the need for a broad-based and more highly skilled workforce to achieve its ambitions for an increasingly sophisticated and diverse economy.
It is in this sphere that UK skills and knowledge excel – and the opportunities this presents are enormous.
Likewise there is a strong demand for British brands and an informed knowledge of the retail landscape. We already have a strong fashion presence on Vietnam’s high streets, but the sector is growing fast – and the UK is at the forefront of this opportunity.
I look forward to meeting all those companies that join us on this great mission.