Nearly 100 domestic and Chinese businesses took part in a conference on boosting exports in farm produce, seafood and timber products, which was held in the northern province of Lao Cai on May 28.

The businesses hailed from localities throughout the country that have a huge demand for these products, including northern Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Hai Phong provinces, central Binh Thuan province, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Major products exported via the Lao Cai border gate into Yunnan province include rice, rubber, coffee beans, lychees, dragon fruit, shrimp, cassava, maize and bananas.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Ngoc said the locality has undertaken efforts to facilitate customs clearance at border gates, reducing costs for Vietnamese and Chinese businesses.

Representatives from Yunnan pledged to create most favourable conditions for exports to China via the international border gate, to expand promotional campaigns and to accelerate the development of infrastructure to foster trade exchange between the two countries, and in the Asian region in general.

Lao Cai province, which shares more than 200km of the border with Yunnan, plays a crucial role in connecting the domestic market with China’s south western market.-VNA