HCM City (VNA) – “In Style – Hong Kong”, thelargest trade, investment and lifestyle promotion event ever held in Vietnam,kicked off in Ho Chi Minh City on September 20, attracting thousands ofVietnamese and Hong Kong firms.

Chairman of the Hong KongTrade Development Council Vincent HS Lo said “In Style – Hong Kong” introducesunique culture, cuisine and entertainment of Hong Kong to the Vietnamesepublic.

According to him, two-waytrade between Vietnam and Hong Kong (China) increases by nearly 12 percent eachyear, reaching 18 billion USD last year. Vietnam is one of the fastest-growingeconomies in Southeast Asia and the largest importer of Hong Kong. Meanwhile,Hong Kong serves as a gateway for trade between Vietnam and China, and betweenVietnam and many other Asian markets.

Financial Secretary of theHong Kong Special Administrative Region Paul Chan Mo-po said the event offers awide array of Hong Kong’s world-class products and professional services toVietnamese partners and friends, adding that via the event, Hong Kong wants tofurther boost economic and trade ties as well as people-to-people exchange withVietnam.

During the two-day event,thematic seminars on the potential of cooperation in investment, trade andlogistics will also be held.

Speaking at the openingceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said Vietnamese and Hong Kongbusinesses put high hope on their future ventures.

He said Vietnam is now thelargest trade partner of Hong Kong in ASEAN while Hong Kong is the ninthlargest trade partner and the sixth largest foreign investor of Vietnam. As ofthe late August, Hong Kong invested in 1,353 projects worth 19 billion USD inVietnam.

As a dynamic and most freeeconomy in the world, Hong Kong is the third largest supplier of foreign directinvestment in Asia.

Vietnam welcomes Hong Kongfirms to expand operations in the country in fields of strength such asinfrastructure, support industry, and finance-banking service, Trung added.-VNA