Hanoi has pledged to promote cooperation with northwestern provinces as its driving force to speed up the development of investment, trade and tourism throughout the region.

Delegates attend the signing ceremony. Photo: Hoai Nam/ The Hanoi Times

A series of memoranda of cooperation between Hanoi and the northwestern provinces was signed at a conference in the northern province of Lao Cai on November 23. Hanoi Small and Medium Enterprises Association, Traphaco Sapa Single Member Limited Liability Company and Lao Cai Provincial Business Association, Hanoitourist and Lao Cai Provincial Tourism Association attended the signing ceremony.

The conference brought together nearly 300 delegates, including over 100 enterprises in manufacturing, trade, tourism, and services, from Hanoi and the northwestern provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, and Yen Bai. Representatives from other provinces and cities, such as Quang Ngai, Nghe An, Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh were also present.

Deputy Director of Hanoi Promotion Agency (HPA) Le Tu Luc said that the event, themed "Connecting for mutual development - Link to Grow", provided an opportunity for businesses to showcase potential and strengths, promote the image, and strengthen investment, trade, and tourism cooperation between Hanoi and the northwestern provinces.

The event hosted by Hanoi confirms that the capital city always supports businesses in promoting the consumption of Vietnamese products in the domestic market, including Hanoi, as well as in export, thus contributing to the socio-economic development of localities.

Ha Duc Binh, Director of the Promotion and Trade Promotion Center of Lao Cai Province, said that Lao Cai is a transshipment point along the Kunming (China) - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Haiphong - Quang Ninh economic corridor, connecting Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the vast southwest market of China. Annually, a large number of agricultural products, including fruits, seafood and planted forest products, are exported through the Lao Cai International Border Gate.

As part of the conference, an exhibition of typical goods and products between Hanoi and the Northwest provinces was opened on November 23 at the pedestrian zone in the central city of Lao Cai.

Booth visits by conference attendees. Photo: Hanoimoi Newspaper