Hanoi (VNA) - A Vietnam - China teleconference on farm produce, fisheries, and foodtrade took place on June 18.

The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Vietnam TradePromotion Agency (VIETRADE) and the Council for the Promotion of International Trade of Chongqing (CCPITChonqing).

Addressing theteleconference, VIETRADE Deputy Director General Le Hoang Tai described China asVietnam’s largest market among more than 200 countries and territories engagedin trade with Vietnam.

Vietnam hasclose trade ties with many Chinese cities and provinces, including Chongqing - oneof the four centrally-run cities that is a significant trade partner.

VIETRADE,he said, established a trade promotion office in Jiangbei district, Chongqing cityin 2015 to help Chinese enterprises seek long-term opportunities with Vietnamesepartners.

He invited Chongqingbusinesses to join the Vietnam Foodexpo scheduled for November 18-21 in HCM City,where thousands of quality farm produce and food products from prestigious Vietnamesecompanies will be available.

Tai hopes thatCCPIT Chongqing will work closely with VIETRADE to diversify trade and exchangesbetween the two sides.

An officialfrom CCPIT Chongqing committed to creating favourable conditions for Vietnamesecompanies to do business in the city.

Following theteleconference, Vietnamese and Chinese companies joined online trade sessions toshare information and seek business opportunities, which will last until June 19.

According tothe General Department of Vietnam Customs, annual two-way trade between Vietnamand China surpassed 100 billion USD during the past two years. The figure hit 44.35billion USD in the first five months of this year, up nearly 2 percent year-on-year.

Vietnam’s exportsto China topped 15.9 billion USD, up 17.4 percent, while imports hit 28.3 billionUSD, down over 5 percent./.