This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. The 18th CAEXPO to be held in September will continue to boost mutual development between the two countries.

Further upgrade of China-Vietnam trade and economic cooperation

Attaching great importance to CAEXPO, the Vietnamese government has strengthened exchanges and cooperation with China and other ASEAN countries by actively displaying national image, business opportunities and potentials.

In the previous 17 editions, Vietnam spared no efforts to send its enterprises to participate in the CAEXPO, taking up 3,452 booths in total. Through CAEXPO, Vietnam's superior products such as food, agricultural products, daily necessities and mahogany furniture have gained greater popularity among Chinese consumers.

Among them, Vietnam Biti's slippers became the best-selling goods with superior quality, stylish designs and moderate price. G7 coffee was also well received by the consumers. The first online matchmaking activity of the 17th online CAEXPO was China-Vietnam Machinery & Building Materials Industry Online Matching Session. The introduction of online CAEXPO business matching system realized the online interactions between purchasers from ASEAN countries and domestic exhibitors despite the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CAEXPO has also served as an important platform for all-dimensional collaboration for both countries. On August 13, Do Nam Trung, Vietnamese Consul General in Nanning (China) spoke highly of CAEXPO as the crucial exchange and cooperation platform between Vietnam, China and other ASEAN countries in various fields. He pointed out that Vietnam attaches great importance to CAEXPO as one of the key exhibition projects supported by the country.

The trade and economic ties between China and Vietnam have been growing. The collaboration on trade and investment remains sound momentum. In 2020, Vietnam became China's seventh largest trading partner in the world, ranking No.1 among ASEAN countries. The trade and economic cooperation between the two countries has witnessed qualitative leap.

According to the statistics of China's Ministry of Commerce, the trade volume between China and Vietnam in 2020 registered US$192.28 billion, a year-on-year increase of 18.7%. Specifically, China's exports to Vietnam reported $113.81 billion and its imports from Vietnam marked $78.47 billion, up by 16.3% and 22.4% year-on-year, respectively. Chinese direct investment in Vietnam was $1.38 billion, a growth of 5.9% comparing with the previous year. Specifically, the number of newly contracted projects by Chinese enterprises in Vietnam reached $4.95 billion, an increase of 12.7% year on year.

New CAEXPO brings new vision

In the telephone conversation with Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien in June 2021, Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said that China welcomes the high-quality and safe agricultural, aquatic products and food from all countries including Vietnam, and invited Vietnam to attend the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and CAEXPO. Mr. Dien expressed Vietnam's willingness to enhance the cooperation between the two countries, particularly to reinforce the development of economic and trade mechanism, and promote the collaboration on e-commerce and trade.

The 18th CAEXPO will convene in Nanning, China on September 10-13. With the theme "Sharing Opportunities Created by the New Land-Sea Corridor, Building the China-ASEAN Community with a Shared Future", this year’s CAEXPO will continue to take the form of "on-site + online CAEXPO", and make full use of the opportunities of the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relationship and the China-ASEAN Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation to further play its role as platform and promote the construction of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

At the video conference with the CAEXPO Secretariat, Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, said that the Vietnam’s organizing committee for CAEXPO is doing everything to prepare for the CAEXPO as Vietnamese enterprises are highly motivated for being involved. He promised to encourage enterprises to take part in the online CAEXPO as well.

Vietnamese businesses will participate in on-site and online CAEXPO, reserving 81-square-meter national image exhibition area and 120 commodity booths. In addition, Vietnam plans to set up 80sq.m virtual booths for around 20 Vietnamese enterprises to showcase their products online and conduct real-time communication with Chinese and foreign counterparts. Meanwhile, Vietnam will positively recommend its enterprises to attend the online CAEXPO as well as trade and investment promotion events.

PV