Lào Cai, Chinese partners forge stronger ties

A Lao Cai market prepares for display of Chinese goods scheduled for February. — VNA/VNS Photo

LÀO CAI — A New Year gathering was held in the northern border province of Lào Cai on January 29 evening, with a delegation from the provincial Party Organisation and authorities and their counterpart from Honghe county of China’s Yunnan province taking part.

The event was part of the cultural exchange programme celebrating the Lunar New Year across the border and the Vietnam-China border festival 2024 held the same day.

At the event, Secretary of the Lào Cai provincial Party Committee Đặng Xuân Phong proposed that the Secretary of the Party Committee and leaders of Honghe county direct departments and agencies coordinate with Lào Cai province to swiftly resume the exchange of goods and residents through border gates and crossings, facilitate the opening of border gates between both sides, and build a pilot model of smart border gates at the Lao Cai – Hekou international border gate.

He urged Honghe county to recommend the relevant Chinese authorities designate the Lao Cai-Hekou international railway border gate as the primary entry point for Vietnamese agricultural products and fruits into the Chinese market. Furthermore, he suggested expanding the list of Vietnamese fruits allowed to be imported into China to bolster trade turnover through the Lao Cai-Hekou international border gate.

He sought Honghe county’s continued support for the export of Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products to China through border gates, stressing the importance of streamlined customs clearance for goods via the Lao Cai-Hekou international railway border gate.

He also suggested expanding the list of Vietnamese fruit items allowed for import into China to increase trade turnover through the Lao Cai-Hekou international border gate.

Secretary of the Honghe Party Committee Zhao Ruijun, for his part, said Honghe county wishes to further deepen ties between the two localities’ Party organisations, authorities and people.

He articulated a firm belief that, given the potential, advantages and robust traditional relationship, the two sides would forge more effective cooperation in the future, particularly in significantly increasing the current value of export-import turnover.

On the occasion, a number of cooperation agreements were signed by Lào Cai and Chinese partners.

The same day, the Vietnam-China economic and trade forum, along with media and youth friendship exchanges, and an interaction between young entrepreneurs, were also held. — VNS