The 13th Vietnam-China International Trade Fair kicked off in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on November 13, with the participation of nearly 500 businesses from home and abroad.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu stressed that the fair is part of the National Trade Promotion Programme, with the aim of enhancing economic, investment, tourism and services cooperation and development between Lao Cai and Vietnam ’s northwestern localities with China ’s Yunnan and other southwestern provinces.

The six-day fair also offers the chance for the two countries’ businesses to meet and seek partners, Tu added.

Vice Chairman of the Lao Cai provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Duong stated that this is the largest-scaled fair of its kind so far, with more than 700 pavilions, including 200 of 131 businesses from China ’s Yunnan , Nanning and Shenzhen.

The stalls showcase a wide range of products such as handicrafts, machines, chemicals and wooden products.

Contracts worth up to 240 million USD are expected to be signed during the event.-VNA