Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang at the opening ceremony of the 7th China-South Asia Expo, Yunnan Province, August 16, 2023 - Photo: VGP/Hai Minh

The Vietnamese Government leader made the point while delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 7th China-South Asia Expo and the 27th Kunming Import and Export Fair on August 16 in Yunnan Province. 

Tran said Viet Nam called on China and other regional countries to enhance comprehensive cooperation and spur trade promotion, transport connectivity, exchanges of people-to-people and tourism development.  

Themed “solidarity and cooperation for common development”, the five-day event is jointly hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the People's Government of Yunnan Province.

This year, Viet Nam sent a business delegation from seven provinces and cities, including Ha Noi, exhibiting food, beverage, footwear, aquatic products, furnitures, and handicrafts in 130 booths.

China is a major trading partner of South Asian countries. Aquatic products, tea and nuts from South Asian countries are favoured by Chinese consumers, and their exports to China continue to increase.

The trade exchanges between China and South Asian countries have been further strengthened. When the first Expo was held in 2013, the total trade volume between China and South Asian countries was less than US$ 100 billion. 

By 2022, the total trade volume has reached nearly US$197.4 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 8.3 percent.