ĐÀ NẴNG — Businesses from the Chinese province of Shandong have been seeking more investment and co-operation opportunities with local partners in the fields of agriculture, trade, agricultural machinery production, farm produce export, bio industry, hi-tech farm and food safety in the central city.

Head of Shandong’s working delegation, Wang Junmin spoke at a seminar on agriculture and business co-operation in the city yesterday.

Wang said Vietnamese fresh fruits are a popular farm produce in Shandong as well as rubber, while garlic, ginger and agricultural machinery have been made available for the Việt Nam market.

He said 102 investment projects with total registered investment capital of US$1.22 billion from Shandong have been approved by the central city’s People’s Committee.

Wang said businesses from the province have so far poured $4.1 billion in Việt Nam.

“We have called for a co-operative mechanism in boosting investment, tourism, cultural exchange and connections among travel and enterprise associations and universities between Đà Nẵng and Shandong,” Wang said.

He also invited Đà Nẵng to join the Ocean Forum to be held in Shandong this September, strengthening the relationship of the two locations.

Vice Chairman of Đà Nẵng city’s People’s Committee, Hồ Kỳ Minh said the city would offer favourable conditions for Chinese investors with long-term projects in hi-tech farming, ‘green’ technology and food processing.

Minh also said the city has offered preferential policies for businesses from Shandong who invest in the city’s Hi-tech Park and Information Technology park as well as available Industrial Zones.

The two cities set up a relationship in 1994, but trade and investment progress has failed to reach its full potential.

In 2012, the two sides agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation and the investment environment.

According to a report from the industry and trade department, the city of 1 million consumes 145,000 tonnes of seafood and 140,000 tonnes of vegetables per year. However, the city’s 80ha of farms only provide 10 per cent of daily vegetable demand.

In terms of tourism, Đà Nẵng hosted 443,000 Chinese tourists, 27 per cent of total foreign visitors – in 2016. — VNS