On September 16, the opening of the 19th ASEAN-China Expo (CAEXPO) and the 19th China-ASEAN Business Investment Summit (CABIS) took place in Nanning, the capital city of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with the participation of the Chinese Deputy PM Han Zheng.

At the invitation of the Chinese Government, Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh attended and delivered a pre-recorded speech at the opening ceremony.

Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of CAEXPO and CABIS this year. (Photo: VNA)

This year is the first year after China and ASEAN upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and also the first year since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) came into effect on January 1.

This year's fair is expected to end on September 19, which aims at promoting trade and exchange between the two sides.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Permanent Deputy PM Minh hailed the important achievements that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have gained over the years, especially the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, security, prosperity, and sustainable development.

ASEAN and China have continued to be each other’s largest trade partners with two-way trade reaching over 669 billion USD in 2021. China is the biggest investor in many ASEAN countries. Meanwhile, bilateral cooperation in disease control, poverty reduction, culture, and people-to-people exchanges have also been strengthened, benefiting people of both sides, according to Minh.

The video speech at the opening ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

He underlined that amid the complicated and unexpected changes in the regional and global situation, ASEAN countries and China should continue to strengthen cooperation in dealing with challenges and speed up sustainable post-pandemic recovery.

He stressed the need to make full use of opportunities from the RCEP and the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), thus bolstering bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner.

The Deputy PM suggested the Chinese Government create favorable conditions for the increased import of goods and high-quality farm produce from Vietnam as well as other ASEAN countries via Vietnam.

He asked for China’s coordination in maintaining stable supply and production chains as well as smooth customs clearance activities in all circumstances, diversifying goods transportation methods by road, rail, sea and air, promoting partnership in the fields of innovation, digital transformation, digital economy, and e-commerce, and strengthening collaboration in the fields of green and sustainable development.

The CAEXPO and CABIS fair in China. (Photo: asean.org)

A total of 1,653 companies from China and ASEAN countries participated in this fair.

This year, Vietnam continues to participate in the event at the largest scale with a display area of over 2,000sq.m, along with the online exhibition by 80 enterprises to introduce Vietnamese strong products such as agricultural and aquatic products, processed food, wooden furniture and handicrafts, consumer goods, as well as investment, tourism, and trade services.

China has become ASEAN's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years, while ASEAN has surpassed the European Union to become China's largest trading partner by 2020.

Vietnamese enterprises ready to receive foreign visitors The travel and airline enterprises said they were ready to welcome foreign visitors, simultaneously proposed ministries and departments to develop a common set of standards.

Vietnamese enterprises want to join with government in seeking Covid-19 vaccine sources The enterprise community has shown their willingness to join with the government in seeking vaccine supplies as well as to pay for vaccines by themselves.

Enterprises Face Difficulties and Risk of Falling Out of Global Supply Chains due to Covid Although Vietnam has dealt with previous COVID-19 outbreak with spectacular success, businesses are facing difficulties and the risk of being kicked out of global supply ...