A forum on promoting trade in agricultural and aquatic products between Vietnam and China’s Guangxi province was held on March 8 by the 970 Agricultural Connection Forum’s operation team. 

According to Nguyen Hoai Nam, Vice Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam enjoyed the strongest growth of seafood trade with China among the main markets in the 2018 – 2022 period. China has become the 2nd largest seafood importer of Vietnam after the US. 

Nam said Guangxi is the third largest locality in China in terms of importing Vietnamese seafood, after Guangdong and Zhejiang, accounting for 6% of the volume and 11% of the value of seafood imported from Vietnam.

Vietnam is the biggest supplier of seafood for Guangxi, accounting for 69% of the volume and 75% of the locality's import value. 

From these advantages, Nam underlined the need for Vietnam to enhance trade exchange between businesses and Chinese localities, and speed up the approval process for enterprises registered to export seafood to China. 

Agencies need to update and provide information for Vietnamese exporters on the demand and regulations of markets and localities of China.

According to Su Wanguang, Vice President of the Vietnam – China Business Association in Guangxi, said the DongTeng Industrial Investment Co., Ltd plans to purchase 35,000 tonnes of durians, including 15,000 tonnes from Vietnam. 

He added the firm is currently promoting the establishment of a Vietnam Seafood Trading Centre in Guangxi’s Fang Chenggang city, which is expected to facilitate direct trade activities between Vietnamese and Chinese firms. 

Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, Head of the Management Board of Mong Cai International Border Gate, said that the volume of Vietnamese agro-aquatic products exported to the Chinese market through the gate has grown 60% per year on average.

To promote the export of Vietnamese agro-aquatic products to the Chinese market, Ngoc said businesses should make the most of digital and information technology, and e-commerce trading floors to strengthen product promotion; and constantly improve the quality of export goods from farming, processing, packaging, and transportation.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam suggested the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province and relevant agencies of China coordinate in organising a direct trade promotion forum in Dongxing, China, as soon as possible, thus making it easier for businesses of the two countries to discuss how to build supply chains serving import and export of agricultural products.

He urged the 970 Agricultural Connection Forum's operation team to consider establishing a Vietnam - China agricultural and fisheries business club to connect and share information about the agricultural product market./.