Addressing the event, Deng Wenjuan from the Department of Commerce of Guangxi province introduced the potential and strengths of the Chinese locality, saying that Guangxi shares several border gates with Vietnam. Infrastructure facilities have been comprehensively invested to facilitate the import and export of fruits and aquatic products.

Participants at the event. (Photo: VNA)

Guangxi will propose more measures to deepen substantial trade cooperation in fruit and aquatic products with Vietnam, including Dong Thap, thus facilitating economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and China, she stated.

To Ngoc Son, Deputy Director of the Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said Guangxi holds an important position in the economic and trade cooperation with Vietnam as it is the only Chinese locality that has border crossings in all forms of transportation (road, river, rail, and sea).

Guangxi stands as one of the top-tier crucial gateways for Vietnamese goods, especially for farm produce to enter the Chinese market, Son stressed, underlining the significance of the event as offering a chance for businesses operating in the field of agricultural, fisheries, and logistics of the two sides to explore trade cooperation opportunities.

According to the Asia-Africa Market Department, China is Vietnam's largest trade partner and the biggest consumer of Vietnamese goods, particularly agricultural and aquatic products.

However, amidst the global economic downturn, the Vietnam-China trade relationship has been affected. Two-way trade in the first half of 2023 decreased by 13.6 per cent year-on-year.

At the workshop, representatives from nearly 20 businesses in Guangxi and many businesses in Dong Thap engaged in discussions to seek opportunities for trade links in the agricultural and aquatic sectors.

In the first 6 months of 2023, trade between Dong Thap and China reached 126 million USD, with the main exports to China being aquatic products, rice and rice products, and footwear.