Vietnam and Ecuador have for the first time joined the Chinese Government in co-organising the China International Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Fair 2012 (CISMEF 2012).

Opened in Guangdong City , Guangdong province, on September 22, the four-day fair sees the participation of more than 3,000 businesses from 31 Chinese provinces and cities as well as others from 30 countries and territories worldwide.

Vietnamese businesses are showcasing their products on an area of 3,000 sq. m at the fair.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Thanh Bien said small and medium-sized enterprises account for over 97 percent of Vietnam ’s total businesses, use half of the labour force and contribute about 40 percent of the country’s GDP.

The SMEs in Vietnam are now playing an important role in creating jobs and increasing incomes for workers, helping reduce poverty in many localities and actively support the development of larger enterprises, he said.

The participation of a large number of Vietnamese SMEs at the event shows the Government’s efforts to remove difficulties for businesses and create conditions for them to seek cooperation opportunities with Chinese partners, he stressed.

During CISMEF 2012, the Vietnamese business delegation met with the leaders of Guangdong province and the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.-VNA