Hanoi (VNA) – Twenty-one exporters of Vietnamand nearly 20 importers from China’s Shanghai city gathered at an onlinebusiness matching event on September 24 to seek to promote bilateral fruittrading which is believed to hold much room to grow.

Opening the meeting, Director of the VietnamTrade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade VuBa Phu said Vietnam has close trade ties with many Chinese localities,including Shanghai – the most populous city of China with a population of over24 million and also a trade partner of leading importance.

However, there remains much room forVietnam-Shanghai trade, especially in fruit grown and processed in Vietnam, sorelevant agencies and enterprises of both sides should make more active moves,he suggested.

According to Vietnamese Consul General toShanghai Ninh Thanh Cong, the two countries boast numerous advantages to tapinto the existing potential for trade, particularly in fruit.

Both have favourable road, railway, air and seatransport infrastructure and good logistics services. Their successfulcontainment of COVID-19 has helped facilitate bilateral trade. Meanwhile,leaders of relevant ministries and sectors have also created optimal conditionsfor trading activities.

Vietnam is home to a large number of tropicalagricultural products and fruits meeting high technical standards and exportedto many demanding markets like the EU. Besides, Shanghai and Huadong aredynamic regions of China with developed supermarket and e-commerce networks.

With the existing potential, Vietnamese andChinese firms enjoy numerous conditions to enhance long-term cooperation, Congnoted.

For his part, Yuan Yaxiang, Secretary-General ofthe Shanghai Fruit Business Association, noted despite abundant domesticsupply, imported fruit is still preferred in the Chinese market, adding thatfruit imports into China fell in the first months of 2020 due to the COVID-19impact.

Prior to this business matching event, Vietradehad held a similar event in August to connect the two countries’ enterprises interms of trade in farm produce, aquatic products, food and consumer goods.

To foster bilateral business links, Vietradeopened a trade promotion office in Hangzhou capital of Zhejiang province (nearShanghai), the second Vietnam set up in China, following the one established inChongqing in 2018.

Phu asked the Shanghai Fruit BusinessAssociation, authorities and fruit importers of the Chinese city to boostcooperation in fruit trading with Vietrade, the Vietnam Fruit and VegetablesAssociation, and other agencies of Vietnam so as to generate more chances forbusiness partnership between Vietnamese suppliers and Shanghai importers./.