As many as 500 firms are exhibiting their products at the 29th Viet Nam International Trade Fair (Viet Nam Expo 2019), which opened at the International Exhibition Centre in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

The four-day event, themed “Networking and Sharing for Mutual Success”, includes the attendance of enterprises from provinces and cities of Viet Nam and 23 countries and territories, including Algeria, Cuba, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and China.

Viet Nam Expo is hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and organised annually by the Viet Nam National Trade Fair & Advertising Company (Vinexad) over the last two decades, and is recognised as one of the most effective trade events, bringing about a lot of economic values for organisations, enterprises and individuals in Viet Nam and overseas.

At the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said the event, first held in 1991, has become one of the biggest and most important trade promotion activities of the industry and trade sector.

“The expo has brought multiple economic values and opportunities helping Vietnamese firms boost exports and develop the domestic market, contributing to the realisation of the Governments commitment to enhancing international economic integration,” Hai told Viet Nam News.

One highlight at Viet Nam Expo 2019 is the participation of enterprises whose brands are honoured with the “Viet Nam Value” title – the symbol of prestige and quality for Vietnamese brands in the domestic market as well as brand development in the international market. They include Viet Nam Electrical Equipment JSC – GELEX, Tran Phu Electrical Mechanical JSC, Binh Minh Plastics JSC, Duy Tan Plastics JSC, Tan A Dai Thanh Group, Ha Noi Beer Trading JSC, Da Nang Rubber JSC and Ha Noi Trade Corporation.

Duong Thi Uyen Thao, Business Development Director of Tan Plastics JSC, told Viet Nam News that the event offers the company opportunities to meet with new partners as well as boosting the development of export activities.

Kim Ki Joon, chairman of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)s Southeast Asia and Oceania and general director of KOTRA Ha Noi, told Viet Nam News this year was the 21st year the Republic of Korea has attended the event.

“This year, South Korea presents the largest number of attending firms. There are some 150 South Korean companies with 160 booths participating in the event. Over the years, the number of Korean enterprises attending has increased, proving that Korean enterprises are increasingly interested in the Vietnamese market and wishing to strengthen co-operation with Vietnamese businesses,” Kim Ki Joon said.

Design sharing pavilion

A Korea-Viet Nam Design Sharing Pavilion is also one of the events highlights.

The booth displays designs to serve customers under a programme titled Korea-Viet Nam Design Sharing, co-ordinated by the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) and the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, which has been in operation since 2010 and provided support for 3,500 companies.

According to Nguyen Thi Hong Van, director of the Market Research and Development Department under Vietrade, this exercise has provided consultancy for Vietnamese enterprises in enhancing design capability, branding and packaging, researching market demands and developing marketing ideas.

This years booth showcases the products of seven companies including three Vietnamese ones, namely VinaTea JSC, Luong Quoi Coconut Processing Co Ltd and Quang Ninh Seafood Trading And Production Co Ltd, together with four Korean Enterprises of DITOBRAND, MASS C&G, Kimhyunsun DESIGN and MOT.— VNS