Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a reception in Hanoi on October 19 for Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua, who is leading a 200-strong business delegation to Vietnam. The PM said he was delighted at the fruitful developments of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, which has brought practical benefits to both countries.

Vietnam and Guangdong still have considerable untapped potential for cooperation, therefore the two sides need to make a greater effort to step up the implementation of the previously signed agreements, he said.

The government leader voiced his support for the enhancement of friendly and cooperative relations between Guangdong province and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as those efforts by China’s Shenzhen city and Hai Phong city of Vietnam to build an industrial zone in Hai Phong.

In this spirit, PM Dung spoke highly of Huang’s visit, saying that it will help elevate relations between the two nations in general, and between Vietnam and Guangdong in particular, to new heights.

Mayor Huang said that Guangdong, like Chinese localities always attaches importance to developing comprehensive and mutually-beneficial cooperation with Vietnamese localities.

The relationship between Guangdong and Vietnamese localities has seen a new level of development, especially in economics, trade, investment, education and training, he added.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Guangdong in the first eight months of this year reached US$2.67 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 25.6 percent.

As many as 22 Guangdong businesses have registered for a cooperative project between Shenzhen and Hai Phong cities to build an industrial zone in the northern Vietnamese port city. Work on the IZ is expected to start later this year.

Guangdong’s mayor said that his province will speed up cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City in the coming time.

He added that Vietnamese and Guangdong businesses are expected to sign cooperative contracts worth US$1.8 billion in total during his visit.

The same day, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem received Huang and hosted a banquet in honour of him and his entourage.

During Huang’s trip, Guangdong’s Department of Economics and Trade and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry co-organised a trade fair and a business forum in Hanoi.

Earlier, the Guangdong delegation visited and worked with leaders from the northern port city of Hai Phong and the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh. They are scheduled to visit Ho Chi Minh City on October 20.