The 10th Economic Corridor Cooperation Conference between four Vietnamese cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Haiphong, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, and China's Yunnan Province opened in Hanoi today [November 13].

An overview of the opening ceremony. Photos: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times

In his opening speech, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh said Hanoi was privileged to host the 10th Economic Corridor Cooperation Conference, which brought together the five provinces and cities of Vietnam and China.

"This is a practical political and economic foreign event to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, and also contributes to promoting cooperative and mutually beneficial relations among the provinces and cities in the Economic Corridor," he said.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh addresses the event.

The two-day conference with the theme "Expanding Forms of Partnership and Cooperation among the Economic Corridor Provinces and Cities of Vietnam and China" gathered more than 200 delegates to seek solutions to develop the economy under the new backdrop, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of good relations between localities, and work out substantial cooperation contents that are highly feasible and suitable for the development requirements and potentials and advantages of all parties involved.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu said that the 10th Economic Corridor Cooperation Conference hosted by Hanoi resumes the mechanism of cooperation in the Kunming (China) - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Haiphong - Quang Ninh Economic Corridor under the "Two Corridors, One Economic Belt" cooperation.

"After a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this event is a highlight of local-level cooperation between Vietnam and China in 2023, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries," he said.

This event also responds to the practical need to enhance cooperation between localities of the two countries and localities within the economic corridor in the context of complex international and regional situations, challenges to economic recovery and growth, security, cross-border issues, issues of supply chain disruption, inflation, energy security, food security, climate change, the Deputy Minister said.

At the event, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang raised four issues for discussion at the conference that require localities to be proactive and innovative to contribute to the successful implementation of the agreements and the common understanding at the high level.

He said unceasing efforts should be made to strengthen the strategic comprehensive cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China.

"It is crucial to enhance the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms, coupled with joint research and exchanges, to establish frameworks and new cooperation models that suit the development potentials, advantages, conditions and development priorities of the two sides' localities," he stressed.

"This aims to achieve breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation, investment, infrastructure connectivity, and expanding cultural and tourism cooperation, as well as promoting people-to-people exchanges between the localities."

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed confidence that with the firm determination of the localities and the effective participation of the business communities on both sides, the economic corridor cooperation between the five provinces and cities of Vietnam and China will make even more remarkable achievements in the future, contributing to the development of the Vietnam-China strategic comprehensive cooperative partnership.

China's Ambassador Xiong Bo speaks at the ceremony.

Speaking at the conference's opening session, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo affirmed that the gathering of central leaders, Hanoi and local provinces and cities at the conference showed the importance these Vietnamese localities attach to cooperation with Yunnan Province of China.

He said today's conference is an important milestone in local-level cooperation, which is fundamental to China-Vietnam relations.

The Consulate General of Vietnam in Kunming (China) has always been willing and ready to coordinate with relevant ministries, departments and localities to effectively take the development of cooperation along the economic corridor to new heights, stressed Consul General Hoang Minh Son.

Son stressed that the five provinces and cities in the economic corridor are the shortest route for ASEAN countries to reach China and vice versa through Haiphong Seaport. It is also the fastest route through Vietnam to the large market of southwestern municipalities in China, such as Guangxi and Yunnan.

He said that utilizing and maximizing the advantages of this economic corridor will contribute to the economic development of each member locality and promote the partnership between Vietnam and China.

He suggested promoting the formation of a multimodal transport route from Guangxi and Chengdu to Vietnam through the Ha Khau border gate, connecting with the new road and sea transport routes.

"It is necessary to actively develop plans and utilize existing transportation routes to promote the export of Vietnam's spearhead commodities to Yunnan and southwest China and vice versa," he said.