Guangxi (VNA) – Vietnam supports ASEAN-China cooperation and is ready to act as a bridge for the ASEAN Economic 🅠Co🧜mmunity and China, stated Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

He ma​​de the remark while opening the 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the 13th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) in Nanning, Guangxi, on September 11. Vietnam is also willing to work closely with ASEAN countries in forging stronger partnership in all fields, maintaining peace and stability, and settling differences for the benefit of parties, thus ensuring the smooth implementation of economic and trade activities and contributing to peace, cooperation, development and prosperity in the region, he said. The Vietnamese Government leader said that Vietnam is always interested in CAEXPOs, which has been shown through the country’s active participation in the events. As the Country of Honour for the first time, Vietnam has organised more than 250 booths at this year’s event, a 35 percent rise over 2015, continuing to be an ASEAN country with the largest number of booths at the exhibition. The PM highlighted Vietnam’s growth potential and socio-economic targets in line with the sustainable development goals in the 2016-2020 period, as well as the country’s determination in actively integrating into the world, responsibly making contributions to joint efforts of the region and the world. So far, Vietnam has joined 12 free trade agreements and is negotiating for other four deals, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in which ASEAN countries and China are participating parties, he noted. Vietnam has also enjoyed economic and trade partnership with 224 countries and territories, he said, holding that in the near future, the free trade ties between Vietnam and 55 partners will be set up, including those with 15 members of the G20. Therefore, partners of Vietnamese businesses will also have opportunities to access a market with two-thirds of the world population and three-fourths of global GDP, he noted. Meanwhile, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli reviewed cooperation policies and activities between China and ASEAN over the past years, stressing that China attaches much importance to the affiliation with the ASEAN. He also gave a number of proposals on policies and orientation for bilateral cooperation in the coming time, underlining the strengthening of political trust to lay firm foundation for partnership in economy, trade, production capacity, resource connection, and people-to-people contacts. Vietnamese exhibition space is expected to welcome 800,000-100,000 visitors. Through the four-day event, Vietnamese firms have a chance to seek partners, introduce their products to China and ASEAN countries. First held in Nanning in 2004 following China ’s initiative, the annual exhibition has become an important channel for fostering trade and investment cooperation between China and ASEAN.-VNA