PM Dung ends visit to Sichuan

Before leaving for Hanoi, Mr Dung met with Chongqing Mayor Wang Hongju, attended a Vietnam-China economic and trade forum and received representatives of several leading economic groups in the city.

Mr Dung praised the achievements Chongqing has made during the open-door process, acknowledging that despite the global financial crunch, the city has maintained a relatively high economic growth. He said the city has played an important role in the Southwestern region and emerged as a big financial, banking and education centre in China.

He proposed that Vietnam and Chongqing provide appropriate mechanisms and introduce specific measures to boost cooperation in economics, trade, science-technology, education, culture, sports and tourism. He also proposed that Chongqing encourage its businesses to invest in Vietnam and import more Vietnamese goods.

Mayor Wang noted that Chongqing and Vietnamese localities have great potential for cooperation in the fields of production of building materials, hydro power generation, infrastructure construction, information technology, and the building of hi-tech zones.

He assured Mr Dung that the administration of Chongqing will encourage its businesses to increase the import of Vietnamese products including rubber, seafood, rice, fruit, footwear, handicrafts, coconut products, and some other consumer goods.  

Mr Dung and Mr Wang discussed measures to increase mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnamese localities and Chongqing city, especially in economic, trade and investment.

Addressing a Vietnam-China economic and trade forum held the same day, Mr Dung noted that Chongqing has achieved high economic growth of 14-15 percent per annum, ranking third in China. It has become an economic centre of the western region with GDP reaching 500 billion Chinese yuan.

He acknowledged that Vietnamese localities and Chongqing have enormous potential for cooperation. Chongqing businesses have poured US$35 million into 12 projects in Vietnam and these projects have been carried out effectively, bringing common benefits to both sides.

The Vietnamese government attaches great importance to stepping up economic cooperation with Chongqing, considering this an important part of the strategic comprehensive cooperation partnership between Vietnam and China, said Mr Dung.

He called on Chinese and Chongqing businesses to expand investment and operation in Vietnam and affirmed that the Vietnamese government will create the best possible conditions for them to operate successfully in the country.

Mr Dung witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation agreements on economics, trade, investment and tourism between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) with the Chongqing administration.