Sport shoes made for export at the Vinh Yen Shoe Co in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. Footwear is among Viet Nam's major export items to Mexico. — VNA/ VNS Photo Tran Viet

The conference, held by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Mexico State Coordinating Business Council (Conceam), aimed to connect businesses between the two countries and exploit opportunities from the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Mexico had been a traditional trade partner of Viet Nam for years and the two countries have untapped potential to boost co-operation in many sectors, according to Sara Valdes Bolano, Mexican Ambassador to Viet Nam.

Nguyen Vu Kien from the VCCI's International Relations Department said that bilateral trade between the two countries had been increasing and reached US$1.1 billion in the first half of this year.

"Room for growth in the bilateral trade remains large," Kien said.

He said that Viet Nam could connect Mexican products to ASEAN markets while Mexico would be an important gateway for Vietnamese products in Latin America.

Viet Nam mainly exports mobile phones and components, footwear, electronics, seafood and garment products to Mexico and imports electric products and equipments from the country.

The Mexico business delegation included 10 big firms operating in trade promotion, education, agricultural production and equipment, coming to Viet Nam to study investment policies and seek co-operation opportunities, according to a Concaem representative.

Experts at the conference said that a shortage of market information was a major challenge for businesses on both sides.

Concaem said that Mexico was willing to provide Vietnamese firms with market information to enable them to take opportunities in Mexico.

Two-way trade hit $3.8 billion in 2015, making Mexico the biggest trade partner of Viet Nam in Latin America and Viet Nam the eighth largest trade partner of Mexico in Asia-Pacific. — VNS