The Vietnam-Chongqing economic, trade and investment forum will open in Chongqing city in Sichuan province on September 8 to cope with the global crisis and create more business opportunities.

The Vietnamese Ambassador to China, Nguyen Van Tho, held a press briefing in Chongqing City on September 6 to introduce the forum.

Mr Tho said that Chongqing is one of the most dynamic cities in China and has great potential for co-operation with Vietnam. The forum will provide a good chance for both Vietnamese and Chinese businesses to boost co-operation and make opportunities come true.

This is the first time Vietnam and Chongqing City organise such a forum which is expected to attract around 100 Vietnamese and Chinese businesses.

The Vietnamese delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and more than 130 businesspeople of 53 companies from Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Binh Thuan, Binh Dinh, Ninh Binh and Ca Mau provinces.

Last year’s two-way trade turnover between Chongqing City and Vietnamese localities reached US$172 million. More than 70 businesses in Chongqing has so far invested in Vietnam in the fields of automobiles, motorbikes, hydroelectric equipment and agricultural machines with a combined investment capital of over US$300 million. Two Vietnamese businesses are operating in Chongqing with a total capitalization of US$8 million.