Vietnamese and Chinese entrepreneurs attend the business conference in Hà Nội on Friday. — Photo courtesy of Ministry of Industry and Trade

HÀ NỘI — A Việt Nam–China (Chongqing) business conference was held by the Việt Nam’s Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) in coordination with the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce (China) in Hà Nội on Friday, as part of the 2025 National Trade Promotion Programme.

Speaking at the event, a representative from VIETRADE (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade) emphasised the increasingly close coordination between the two sides in organising trade fairs, exhibitions, and networking events, contributing to deeper business cooperation.

In the first quarter of 2025, bilateral trade between Việt Nam and China reached US$51.2 billion, up 17.5 per cent year-on-year, with expectations for continued growth throughout the year.

China remains Việt Nam’s largest trading partner, while Việt Nam is among China's top six trading partners globally.

Cooperation between Việt Nam and Chongqing has also seen positive developments, supported by strategic agreements at the central level and enhanced by trade infrastructure such as the Việt Nam–Chongqing–Europe rail corridor.

However, trade turnover between Việt Nam and Chongqing, reaching $5.68 billion in 2024, still accounts for a modest share of overall Việt Nam–China trade.

The event also highlighted the potential for Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises to access Chongqing’s growing demand for high-value, eco-friendly, and locally adapted products.

Processed agricultural products, in particular, are seen as a promising area of cooperation, given the city’s shifting consumption trends and desire for stable, high-quality supply chains. — VNA/VNS