Hanoi (VNA) – The China –Vietnam Border Economic, Trade and Tourism Fair 2024 will take place from November 26 to December 1 at Hekou International Exhibition Centre in Yunnan province of China.
Themed 'Mutual development – Mutual benefits', the event aims to strengthen economic cooperation and cultural exchanges in the border regions of the two countries and provide opportunities for businesses to showcase their products, seek partners and expand their markets.
It is held annually by Vietnam’s Lao Cai province and Honghe county of China’s Yunnan province. This fair is part of a significant trade promotion initiative aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and investment between Lao Cai and Yunnan provinces, contributing to increasing trade exchanges and boosting import-export growth through the Lao Cai international border gate. It also facilitates the entry of Vietnamese enterprises into the Yunnan market and expansion into other regions of China.
At a press conference held on November 14 in Hanoi, an official from the trade bureau of Honghe county announced that this year’s fair will feature two main sections - the China Pavilion covering an area of nearly 5,600 sq.m and the Vietnam Pavilion spanning 3,800 sq.m.
About 500-600 booths will be installed to showcase specialty products from both countries.
Apart from product exhibition and sale activities, the fair will also feature other events such as meetings between Chinese and Vietnamese delegations, economic and trade development discussions, cross-border logistics and business cooperation forums, and a joint investment promotion conference.
Vietnam is set to operate 200 standard booths. The Lao Cai province pavilion will feature 10 booths, with a central LED screen showcasing the region’s socio-economic achievements and investment policies, its key agricultural products such as tea, cinnamon, medicinal herbs, bananas, and pineapples, as well as other industrial tourism products and services.
Nguyen Viet Cuong, Deputy Director of the Lao Cai Department of Planning and Investment, shared that in addition to the incentives announced by the Chinese organisers, the Vietnamese organising committee and local authorities will assist Vietnamese businesses with customs procedures for their goods. The provincial budget will cover all of fees for vehicles, personnel, and goods passing the Lao Cai border gate.
Cuong also noted that participating units and enterprises will be exempt from booth rental fees for the 200 booths that China allocates to Vietnam’s units.
He said there will be areas designated for national products from Vietnam, local products from Lao Cai province, as well as for local cooperatives and businesses to display their own products.
The organisers will prioritise businesses that export or have the potential to export to the Chinese market and those that hold recognized national brands, Cuong said.
Yunnan has an important position in the overall Vietnam-China economic and trade cooperation, with a large market size and diverse demands for goods. Moreover, Yunnan is also an important area for Vietnam to enter the Southwestern market of China.
According to the organisers, the total import-export turnover through the Lao Cai border gate was only 11 million USD in 2000, before the fair was established. By 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure surged to 3.2 billion USD, and it reached approximately 2.1 billion USD in 2023. Projections indicate that in 2024, the import-export turnover via the Lao Cai border gate could reach 4.5 billion USD./.
