Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc and the Vietnamese Government delegation arrived in Hanoi on November5 evening, concluding their trip to attend the first China International ImportExpo (CIIE 2018) in Shanghai city at the invitation of Chinese President XiJinping.

On November 4 and 5, PM Phuc engaged in an arrayof activities such as participating in the CIIE 2018 opening ceremony and theHongqiao International Economic and Trade Forum and visiting pavilions ofcountries and Vietnamese businesses.

He also met with Party General Secretary andPresident of China Xi Jinping and Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong, held dialogues withand received many leading Chinese enterprises, and attended the openingceremony of a Vietnamese trade promotion office in Hangzhou city.

Addressing the opening ceremony of CIIE 2018,where Vietnam was chosen as a guest of honour, PM Phuc spoke highly of theexhibition, which showed the wish for win-win cooperation and promotion ofeconomic and trade partnerships to give a strong boost to regional and globaleconomic growth.

He stressed that as a neighbour with traditionalfriendship, Vietnam always attaches importance to enhancing stable cooperationwith China and wants to join the latter – its biggest trade partner – to stepup economic and trade ties in a sustainable and mutually beneficial manner.

Vietnam supports liberalised, fair, transparentand inclusive trade based on the World Trade Organisation’s rules, he noted,adding that its Government pledges to create an optimal business climatemeeting advanced international standards and high standards in new-generationfree trade agreements that the country has joined.

The leader expressed his hope that businesses ofother countries, especially China, will understand more about Vietnam’sproducts and development potential and join hands to bolster sustainable andwin-win trade ties.

🔜[Vietnam considers relationship with China one of top priorities: PM]

After the opening ceremony, the PM visited theVietnamese pavilion where 25 businesses showcased their agricultural products,processed food and IT services.

On the occasion of CIIE 2018, PM Phuc met withParty General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. He said on the basisof the consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance andmultilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, Vietnam alwaysattaches importance to developing the countries’ friendship in a stable,healthy and sustainable fashion and considers this one of the top priorities inits foreign policy.

He also asked the two sides to maintainhigh-ranking visits and meetings and intensify political trust. He expressedhis belief that the CIIE 2018 will open up new cooperation channels for goodsdistribution, helping promote official trade activities and brand building sothat more Vietnamese commodities would be consumed in the Chinese market.

The PM suggested the Chinese side make it easierfor Vietnamese goods to enter its market, and devise practical policies andmeasures to reduce Vietnam’s big trade deficit, towards promoting stable andsustainable growth of bilateral trade.

Regarding the East Sea issue, he applauded thepositive results of negotiation and cooperation mechanisms in less sensitivesea-related areas between the two countries, as well as the initial progress inpragmatic negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) betweenASEAN and China recently.

He called on both sides to respect each other’slegitimate interests while seriously realising the common perceptions of thetwo countries' leaders and the agreement on the basic principles guiding thesettlement of sea-related issues.

They should also patiently solve disputes bypeaceful means in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on theLaw of the Sea in order to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea and theregion.

On the sidelines of CIIE 2018, PM Phuc hadmeetings with Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Chief Executive of China’s HongKong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor to promotebilateral economic links.

In Shanghai, the PM also met with manyexecutives of major Chinese firms to foster cooperation in agriculture,finance, insurance, banking, construction, transport and energy.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNguyen Xuan Cuong also held a seminar with Chinese businesses specialising infarm produce, seafood and fruit trading.-VNA