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The CAEXPO 2023 trade fair was held in Nanning City, Guangxi, China, from September 16th to 19th.

According to preliminary statistics released by the General Department of Customs, as of the end of August, the scale of trade between Vietnam and China reached US$105.45 billion. Of which, Vietnam's exports to China reached US$36.61 billion, an increase of 2.35% compared to the same period last year. Currently, China is Vietnam's second-largest export market, accounting for 16% of the country's total export turnover.

Conversely, imports from this neighboring country in the first eight months of the year reached US$68.84 billion. Although this was more than US$13 billion less than the same period in 2022, it was still Vietnam's largest market for imported goods, accounting for 33% of the country's total turnover.

With a total of US$105.45 billion, China is Vietnam's first trade partner to reach a scale of over US$100 billion in 2023 and continues to maintain its position as the largest trading partner of Vietnam.

Regarding investment, as of August 2023, Chinese investors have had nearly 4,000 projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of US$26 billion, ranking sixth among the 143 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. In the past eight months, China was the second largest investor in Vietnam with a total of nearly US$2.7 billion in newly registered capital.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said that in 2008, China was the first country to establish the framework of a "Comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership" with Vietnam, the broadest and deepest cooperation framework in Vietnam's partnership with countries around the world to date.

"Economic and trade cooperation, investment growth have been continuously reaching new records. China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for many years, Vietnam is the largest trading partner within ASEAN, ranking sixth in the world for China. Various mutually beneficial cooperation areas continue to expand and deepen, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries," emphasized Minister Nguyen Hong Dien.

Sharing information about the 20 years of organizing the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), Minister Nguyen Hong Dien said that CAEXPO and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) have become one of the important and reputable mechanisms for economic, trade, and investment cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, directly contributing to making ASEAN the largest trading partner of China and China the leading trading partner of ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.

Over the past 20 years, Vietnam has been one of the most active members contributing to the success of the CAEXPO and the CABIS. Among ASEAN countries, Vietnam has always been the country with the largest number of participating enterprises, the largest area, and the largest number of exhibition booths displaying goods at all direct trade fairs.

"We expect that cooperation within the CAEXPO framework will be one of the important drivers to promote the common development of the entire ASEAN-China block and member countries of the RCEP, countries participating in the 'Belt and Road' initiative, aiming for the future to become one of the most dynamic economic growth centers in the world," said Dien.

In the near future, Vietnam hopes that the upcoming sessions of the CAEXPO, the CABIS, and related activities will focus on priority areas. This includes attracting greater participation and transactions from reputable, large-scale enterprises, exporters, and importers from China and around the world in the areas of strength for ASEAN and China. The emphasis will be on high technology, innovation, green development, carbon emissions reduction technology, environmental treatment, natural resource processing, and energy-efficient and environmentally friendly modern machinery and equipment to adapt to the trends of green and sustainable development.

Renewing, diversifying, and enriching further the activities, sectors, and forms of cooperation within the framework of the CAEXPO and the CABIS to elevate economic, trade, investment, and tourism cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, to new heights.

Simultaneously, maximize the opportunities at the CAEXPO and the sidelines forums to promote the image of the country, people, and the brands of products, business, and national brands of ASEAN and China.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that Vietnam was participating in CAEXPO 2023, taking place from September 16-19, on a large scale. Vietnam's participation includes 120 enterprises with 200 booths, covering a total area of approximately 4,000 square meters. Vietnam continues to be the country with the largest booth scale at the expo, after the host country, China.

Participating enterprises are expected to primarily represent various sectors such as agriculture, food processing, footwear, household appliances, textiles, wood products, handicrafts, and wooden products.