Vietnam Expresses Desire to Contribute to Expanding ASEAN-China Cooperation

Vietnam, represented by a delegation led by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Gia Túc, attended the opening ceremony of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the China-ASEAN Investment and Trade Summit (CABIS) in Nanning, China. During the event, Vietnam expressed its strong commitment to contributing to the expansion of ASEAN-China cooperation. Under the theme "Sharing Opportunities of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 (ACFTA 3.0) and Jointly Building a Better Life," this year's CAEXPO and CABIS focused on building free trade agreements (FTAs) and promoting high-quality economic growth. The event attracted approximately 2,200 Chinese enterprises and nearly 1,000 ASEAN enterprises. Vietnam showcased its participation with 120 businesses and over 200 booths, featuring a diverse range of products. In his speech at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Gia Túc highlighted that the ASEAN-China relationship has proven to be one of the most successful and stable cooperation models over the past nearly four decades. China continues to be a leading FDI investor in many ASEAN countries. He emphasized that Vietnam-China trade and investment cooperation plays a crucial role in strengthening market connectivity and production chains within the broader ASEAN-China relationship. Vietnam expressed its desire to further contribute to expanding the scope of ASEAN-China cooperation for common prosperity. Deputy Prime Minister Túc proposed several cooperation initiatives. These include bringing ACFTA 3.0 into practical implementation, simplifying procedures to facilitate trade and investment, further expanding markets for each other's goods, and promoting balanced and sustainable ASEAN trade and investment. He also advocated for enhanced connectivity between businesses in areas such as green agriculture and clean energy, as well as accelerating digital connectivity and innovation. This involves jointly harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence, cross-border e-commerce, and smart digital logistics infrastructure to foster an innovative, secure, and inclusive regional digital ecosystem. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of strengthening ASEAN-China infrastructure connectivity across land, rail, sea, and air, particularly in cross-border transportation, logistics, and economic corridors, thereby forming stable and highly efficient regional supply chains. The significant participation of Vietnamese businesses demonstrates Vietnam's determination and aspiration to contribute to building an environment of peace, stability, and shared development between ASEAN and China.