Vietnam and China are going to hold several teleconferences in the next few days to promote the trade of agricultural products and specialties.

A lorry waits for export procedures to be handled at the Kim Thanh International
Border Gate No. 2 in Lao Cai province, which borders China (Photo: VNA) 

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) said on May 24 that its Trade Promotion Agency and the Vietnamese trade office’s branch in China’s Kunming city will coordinate with the Yunnan branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade to hold a teleconference on May 26 and 27 to boost the trade of agricultural products and food between the two countries.

During the talks, 21 Vietnamese businesses operating in the agricultural, fisheries, food processing and beverage sectors will introduce their products to Yunnan importers.

Do Quoc Huong, who is in charge of the Vietnamese trade office’s Kunming branch, said all production and business activities in Yunnan province have been basically resumed, but agricultural production there is still facing difficulties.

The Yunnan Department of Commerce predicted that from now to the end of June, the province will have a high demand for essential farm produce like fruit and vegetables.

The MoIT and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam also noted that a major international meeting will be held online on June 6 to promote lychee trade between the two nations. It will connect tens of locations in Bac Giang, Lao Cai, Lang Son, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with those in China’s Yunnan and Guangxi provinces.

Data from the MoIT show that bilateral trade hit more than US$35 billion in the first four months of this year. Vietnam earned US$12.7 billion from exports to China and purchased goods worth US$22.38 billion from the neighbouring market, respectively rising 22.1% and falling 1.6% year-on-year.