PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is welcomed by Chinese officials at the airport. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his entourage arrived in Shanghai at 11:30 am on November 4 (local time) to attend the first International Import Expo of China (CIIE 2018) onNovember 4-5.
Welcoming the Vietnamese leader at the airport were designated Ambassador of China to Vietnam Xiong bo, Vietnamese Ambasador toChina Dang Minh Khoi, and Vietnamese Consul General to Shanghai Ninh ThanhCong.
During his stay, PM Phuc will meet with Party General Secretary and Presidentof China Xi Jinping and Mayor of Shanghai Ying Yong. He will attend the opening ceremonyof the CIIE 2018 and the Hongqiao International Trade Forum, and visit booths of participating countries. He will be alsopresent at a ceremony to open the Vietnam trade promotion office in Hangzhou and meetwith representatives of major Chinese businesses
The CIIE 2018, set to be heldannually, aims to create a chance for other countries to access the Chinesemarket and help promote the “Belt and Road” initiative as well asglobalisation.
PM Phuc’s attendance at the eventdemonstrates Vietnam’s wish to develop bilateral economic and trade tiessustainably.
For Vietnam – a gateway to theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), this expo is an importanttrade, investment and tourism promotion event helping strengthen its links withregional countries, optimise benefits generated by the ASEAN-China Free TradeArea and increase the export of Vietnamese goods and services to China andother ASEAN countries along with the shipment of ASEAN goods to China viaVietnam.
The CIIE is also an occasion topopularise Vietnamese enterprises’ image to China and other countries to attractforeign investment while helping Vietnamese firms seek markets and expandbusiness activities.
New strides have been recorded intrade, investment and tourism cooperation between Vietnam and China since thebeginning of 2018. China remains the biggest trade partner and source offoreign tourists of the Southeast Asian nation, which in turn also ranks firstamong ASEAN trade and tourism partners of China.
Their trade has kept growing, hitting76.07 billion USD in the first nine months of 2018.
In 2017, Chinese investment inVietnam reached 2.17 billion USD, up more than 20 percent from the previousyear, making China the fourth largest FDI investor here.
As of late September 2018, China had2,041 projects worth 12.78 billion USD in Vietnam, ranking seventh among 129countries and territories investing in the country.-VNA
VNA
