A forum on Vietnam-China economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation was held in Beijing , China on May 21.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Nguyen Van Tho said the forum creates an opportunity for ministries, localities and enterprises of the two countries to strengthen connectivity and expand practical cooperation, contributing to the implementation of the Vietnam-China five year programme on economic and trade cooperation, which aims to raise two-way trade value to 60 billion USD by 2015.

On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son said the two countries’ relations have seen positive developments, creating favourable conditions for the development of bilateral economic cooperation.

President of the China-ASEAN Association, Gu Xiu Lian said over the past 60 years of diplomatic ties, Vietnam-China relations, fostered by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Mao Zedong, have won people’s hearts.

Once relations between the two countries develop, economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation between them becomes closer, she said, adding that the organisation of the ASEAN-China trade fair in recent years and the building of “two corridors, one belt” have created favourable conditions for Vietnam-China economic, trade and tourism cooperation.

Lian said in 2011, bilateral trade value reached nearly 40 billion USD and the number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam increased remarkably. As a result, Lian said she believed that this year’s forum will make positive contributions to economic, trade, investment and tourism development between the two countries.

The forum was jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in China and the China-ASEAN centre.-VNA