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| Delegates at the 2024 Khanh Hoa-China Business Connection Event (Source: VNA) |
In his opening remarks, Le Huu Hoang, Standing Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, emphasized the province's goal of becoming a centrally governed city by 2030. Khanh Hoa aims to establish itself as a smart, sustainable and internationally connected urban center, serving as a hub for international maritime services and tourism.
He highlighted tourism as Khanh Hoa's spearhead economic sector, projecting that the province will welcome approximately 10.6 million visitors in 2024, including over 4.5 million international tourists, an increase of 1.9 times compared to the previous year. Chinese tourists are expected to remain a significant market, with more than 750,000 arrivals, making China the second-largest source of international visitors to Khanh Hoa. Additionally, the province has strengths in seafood processing, agricultural exports and industrial production, offering promising areas for collaboration between Khanh Hoa businesses and Chinese partners.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Thanh Binh remarked at the event that Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner within ASEAN and its fifth-largest trading partner globally. In the first 10 months of 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached USD168.5 billion, a 21.1% increase year-on-year. Vietnam exported USD50.8 billion (up 2.1%) and imported USD117.7 billion (up 31.6%). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to play a pivotal role in fostering connections between Vietnam’s localities and international partners, including supporting partnerships between Khanh Hoa and Chinese investors.
Wei Huaxiang, Chinese Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City, noted that nearly 100 Chinese enterprises attended the event, representing diverse sectors such as finance, machinery manufacturing, infrastructure, tourism, environmental protection, legal consulting, and agricultural and seafood processing. He emphasized that this is an opportunity to enhance exchanges and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. The Chinese Consulate General will continue to serve as a bridge, actively supporting substantive partnerships between Chinese stakeholders and Khanh Hoa Province to achieve new heights.
During the event, Chinese enterprises and representatives from Khanh Hoa’s government agencies and businesses engaged in discussions on sectors such as tourism, agriculture, fisheries, trade and import-export. Both sides identified significant cooperation potential, focusing on three key areas for immediate connection: sharing information, linking industries, and promoting exchanges and friendship.
Khanh Hoa also organized field trips for Chinese businesses to visit local production facilities./.