Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung met with the Zhejiang provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Zhejiang Federation of Industry and Commerce. (Photo: VNA)  

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung on March 18 met with Tang Feifan, Mayor of Zhejiang province’s Ningbo city – a key economic, trade, and maritime transport hub along China’s eastern coast, as part of his working visit to the country.

During the meeting, Dung affirmed the positive growth of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and community with a shared future that carries strategic significance as well as the importance of the 2025 Year of Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchange programme.

He also expressed Vietnam’s keen interest in learning from China’s experience in developing the private sector and free trade zones, and in implementing bold economic reforms, particularly in Zhejiang and Ningbo. For his part, Tang stressed that the municipal Party organisation and administration highly value their relationship with Vietnam in trade, investment, and locality-to-locality cooperation. He also highlighted Ningbo’s ties with Vietnam’s Hai Phong city and direct flight route to Ho Chi Minh City.

The mayor went on expressing confidence in the continued growth of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, particularly in international trade and industrial development.

On the same day, Deputy PM Dung visited the Ningbo Free Trade Zone (FTZ) that handles over 10 million containers annually and maintains trade relations with 200 countries and territories. The FTZ has attracted 2,300 foreign investment projects, significantly contributing to the city’s economic growth. Dung reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to enhancing private sector, recognising it as a key driver of national economic growth. Given the solid political trust and flourishing cooperation between the two nations, he called on the FTZ’s leadership to share their insights on policies, models, and experiences in developing free trade zones and supporting private sector growth.

While in China, the Vietnamese delegation also met with the Zhejiang provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Zhejiang Federation of Industry and Commerce. Additionally, they visited Alibaba Group and Dahua Group. Chinese partners acknowledged Vietnam’s commitment to foreign investors, including those from China, and pledged to continue contributing to bilateral ties, particularly in trade and sci-tech cooperation in the time ahead./.