Hanoi (VNA) – The 18th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and 18th China-ASEAN Business Investment Summit (CABIS) will create a new motivation for the development of economic-trade ties between ASEAN and China as well as the growth of both sides, stated Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh while delivering a video speech at the opening ceremony of the two events on September 10.

He noted that the 18th CAEXPO and CABIS are being organised while the ASEAN and China are celebrating the 30th anniversary of bilateral dialogue partnership and the first year of their five-year action plan.

As both ASEAN and China are facing unprecedented impacts from COVID-19, the two sides should stay more united and promote regional cooperation with ASEAN playing the central role to push back the pandemic and speed up post-pandemic economic recovery, he stressed.

He suggested that both sides focus on promoting the ASEAN-China economic connectivity and optimising regional economic agreements, while enhancing the efficiency and role of digital economy towards digital government, digital economy and digital society.

Both sides should strengthen cooperation in pandemic prevention and control, including collaboration in vaccines and improving the medical response capacity for ASEAN countries he said.

The Vietnamese Deputy PM lauded the positive progresses in the Vietnam-China relationship, stressing that the Government of Vietnam will continue to create favourable conditions for foreign firms,  including those from China, to invest in the country in all fields.

He proposed that the Chinese Government further broaden its door and facilitate customs clearance process for Vietnamese products, especially farm produce and aquatic products.

CAEXPO is one of the 10 leading trade fairs of China, which has been held annually since 2004.

This year, Vietnamese businesses continue to participate in the event with the largest scale among ASEAN countries. About 80 Vietnamese firms are directly displaying products on an area of 2,000sq.m, while 200 others are joining online. They introduce Vietnamese strong products such as farm produce, aquatic products, processed food, furniture and handicrafts, consumer goods, as well as tourism and trade services./.