Officials from Vietnam’s Lao Cai province and Honghe prefecture of China’s Yunnan province on August 30 met at a seminar to discuss the protection of the rights of consumers.

The seminar forms part of a cooperation programme between the Lao Cai provincial Department of Industry and Trade and the Honghe administrative management authority for industry and trade.

The programme’s objective is to protect consumers’ rights and handle cross-border consumer disputes on the basis of the memorandum of understanding the two sides signed on December 10 last year.

Nguyen Ba Binh, Deputy Director of the Lao Cai Department of Industry and Trade, said the two sides have seriously observed the document while respecting each country’s law.

At the seminar, the two sides agreed to increase the dissemination of information about commodities that may harm human health or harm consumers’ rights, especially food.

They will also encourage businesses to open their representative offices and branches in the other country to fully carry out their rights and responsibilities towards consumers.-VNA