A delegation led by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien attended the opening ceremony of the third China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou City of Hainan province on April 10.

Speaking at the event, Dien stressed that the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is developing well, bringing about substantive benefits for both sides.

Despite the serious impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, China remains Vietnam’s biggest trade partner, and Vietnam is currently China’s largest trade partner in ASEAN and the sixth in the world, Dien said, adding that trade between the two countries currently accounts for about a quarter of Vietnam's foreign trade turnover.

Speaking highly of the significance and practicality of the expo which is one of the few major national-level fairs held right after the Chinese Government announced the successful control of the pandemic, the Vietnamese minister expressed his hope that participating businesses will have more information, from determination, be proactive and creative, and soon turn ideas and cooperation opportunities into specific programmes, projects and contracts, thus contributing to bringing economic and trade cooperation between countries to a new height.

The Vietnam Pavilion at the third China International Consumer Products Expo. (Photo: vneconomy.vn)

The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade is willing to support and create the most favourable conditions so that Vietnamese, Chinese and foreign enterprises can boost cooperation and achieve the highest results, he added.

At the opening ceremony, Dien had a discussion with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao on creating favourable conditions to boost two-way trade, especially opening doors to more Vietnamese agricultural products.

He proposed Wang back the Vietnamese ministry’s opening of trade promotion offices in Hainan and Chengdu. The Chinese minister accepted the proposal, stressing the need for the two ministries to coordinate closely to boost two-way trade.

Over 3,100 brands from 65 countries and regions are partaking in the third expo. The exhibition area is set to increase by 20% over the previous edition, reaching 120,000sq.m.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien speaking at the opening ceremony. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn)

On April 10 afternoon, Minister Dien is scheduled to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Vietnam pavilion, a Vietnam-China trade and investment promotion conference, and an inaugural ceremony of a Southeast Asia Investment Service Centre at the Hainan Free Trade Port.