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VN, China foster the formation of economic corridor

VGP – Launched in 2004, the Economic Corridor linking four Vietnamese Northern provinces and Chinese southwestern province of Yunnan has helped to reinforce mutual understanding, trust and cooperation among those localities.

November 20, 2009 12:47 PM GMT+7

Deputy PM Phạm Gia Khiêm delivers speech at the fifth conference on the economic corridor cooperation among five cities and provinces of Việt Nam and China, Hà Nội, November 20, 2009 – Photo: VGP
The fifth conference on the economic corridor cooperation among five provinces and cities  of Việt Nam and China, namely Hà Nội, Lào Cai, Hải Phòng, Quảng Ninh and Yunnan, took place today in Hà Nội.

Over the last five years, the five provinces have recorded an increasing trade turnover which reached US $970 million in 2007 and US $645 million in 2008 despite global economic recession.

The economic corridor is an important bridge to connect China and ASEAN, especially when the China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone comes into effect in 2010. 

Participants to the conference took this occasion to talk of ways to bring the economic corridor into full play. 

Addressing the conference, Deputy PM Phạm Gia Khiêm urged the five localities to foster ties and uphold potentials.

The Deputy PM also revealed that the two countries’ leaders would ink a five-year plan on the Việt Nam–China economic and trade development which could help to open wider doors for cooperation among localities of the two countries.
Vietnamese and Chinese representatives attend the fifth conference on economic corridor cooperation, Hà Nội, November 20, 2009 – Photo: VGP

Mr. Khiêm suggested relevant ministries and agencies of the two countries map out specific projects for cooperation; perfect the transport network; expand two-way trade volumes of the five cities and provinces; and build more industrial parks, trade centers and transnational economic zones. 

On behalf of the Chinese side, Ambassador Sun Guoqiang reiterated China’s support for closer ties within the economic corridor in particular as well as between China and Việt Nam in general.      

 By Kim Loan