Beijing (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Damattended the opening ceremony of the 5th China – South Asia Expo(CAS Expo) and the 25th China Kunming Import and Export CommoditiesFair in Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province on June 14.

In his remarks at the event, Dam spoke highly of the roleof the two fairs in fostering cooperation in economy, trade and investmentbetween businesses in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China. Vietnam willcontinue creating favourable conditions for companies from the regionalcountries and around the world to do long-term business in the country, in abid to expand friendship and win-win partnership among nations for the regionaland global prosperity.

The 190,000-sq.m expo features around 8,500 booths run bymore than 3,800 exhibitors from 53 countries and territories. This year’s eventsees nearly 100 Vietnamese exhibitors who showcase their products like seafood,cashew nuts, coffee, fruits, cassava, Ben Tre coconut-made products, footwear,fragrance, timber and handicrafts at 200 booths.

A series of events are scheduled to be held on thesidelines of the expos, including the first China – South Asia CooperationForum, the 13th China – South Asia Business Forum, the second China– Southeast Asia Business Forum and the 10th Greater MekongSubregion Economic Corridor Week.

Deputy PM Dam also held talks with Chinese Vice PremierHu Chunhua and received Governor of Yunnan Ruan Chengfa.

During the talk with Hu, the Vietnamese official gave anoverview of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements in recent years. He alsopraised the development of the Vietnam – China friendship and cooperation and reaffirmedthat Vietnam always attaches importance to the enhancement of its stable andlong-term relations with China.


He asked the Government of China to continue facilitatingkey Vietnamese products’ better access to the Chinese market and to ensure thequality and progress of the two countries’ joint projects. At the same time, hesuggested the two governments support the strengthened partnership betweenVietnamese and Chinese localities along the shared border and maintain a stableenvironment for the promotion of the bilateral friendship.

Speaking with Ruan, Dam said the State, Party and peopleof Vietnam support and are ready to create favourable conditions for Vietnameselocalities to bolster ties with Yunnan. He also asked Yunnan to closely workwith Vietnamese side to effectively implement the common perception agreed bythe two countries’ leaders and further expand cooperation in the fields ofeconomy and trade, tourism, and education, contributing the economicdevelopment of both sides’ border areas.

Both Hu and Ruan, for their parts, reiterated China alsoattaches significance to developing the friendly neighbourliness andcomprehensive cooperation with Vietnam. They stressed that potential for bilateralcollaboration remains huge and China is willing to enhance the effectiveness ofpartnership with Vietnam and work with the neighbouring country to settleemerging issues and boost the stable and healthy development of the bilateralcomprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

During his trip to Yunnan, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam willvisit Yunnan University where many Vietnamese students are pursuing education andYunnan Baiyao Group, one of the traditional pharmaceutical firms in China.-VNA