Twenty-one exporters of Vietnam and nearly 20 importers from China’s Shanghai city gathered at an online business matching event on September 24 to seek to promote bilateral fruit trading which is believed to hold much room to grow.

Vietnamese officials at the online business matching event on September 24

 Opening the meeting, Director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Vu Ba Phu said Vietnam has close trade ties with many Chinese localities, including Shanghai – the most populous city of China with a population of over 24 million and also a trade partner of leading importance.

 However, there remains much room for Vietnam-Shanghai trade, especially in fruit grown and processed in Vietnam, so relevant agencies and enterprises of both sides should make more active moves, he suggested.

 According to Vietnamese Consul General to Shanghai Ninh Thanh Cong, the two countries boast numerous advantages to tap into the existing potential for trade, particularly in fruit.

 Both have favourable road, railway, air and sea transport infrastructure and good logistics services. Their successful containment of COVID-19 has helped facilitate bilateral trade. Meanwhile, leaders of relevant ministries and sectors have also created optimal conditions for trading activities.

 Vietnam is home to a large number of tropical agricultural products and fruits meeting high technical standards and exported to many demanding markets like the EU. Besides, Shanghai and Huadong are dynamic regions of China with developed supermarket and e-commerce networks.

 With the existing potential, Vietnamese and Chinese firms enjoy numerous conditions to enhance long-term cooperation, Cong noted.

 For his part, Yuan Yaxiang, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Fruit Business Association, noted despite abundant domestic supply, imported fruit is still preferred in the Chinese market, adding that fruit imports into China fell in the first months of 2020 due to the COVID-19 impact.

 Prior to this business matching event, Vietrade had held a similar event in August to connect the two countries’ enterprises in terms of trade in farm produce, aquatic products, food and consumer goods.

 To foster bilateral business links, Vietrade opened a trade promotion office in Hangzhou capital of Zhejiang province (near Shanghai), the second Vietnam set up in China, following the one established in Chongqing in 2018.

 Phu asked the Shanghai Fruit Business Association, authorities and fruit importers of the Chinese city to boost cooperation in fruit trading with Vietrade, the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association, and other agencies of Vietnam so as to generate more chances for business partnership between Vietnamese suppliers and Shanghai importers.