The four-day event, themed ‘Viet Nam Expo - Enhancing Regional and Global Economic Links’, features more than 500 booths of 450 businesses from 24 countries and territories.

Enterprises from 16 provinces and cities of Viet Nam and 23 countries and territories, including Russia, the Republic of Korea, China, Nepal, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Cuba, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mongolia are attending the event.

Russia is the event’s guest of honour, with a hope that it will promote trade for both sides. With an exhibition area of 520 square metres, Russian companies are showcasing products like mechanical processing, precision mechanics, automation equipment, industrial biotechnology and high-tech electronics.

Attending the expo, Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Konstantin Vnukov said 2017 marked growth in Viet Nam-Russia ties, with both sides agreeing to push the implementation of the Eurasian Economic Union – Viet Nam free trade agreement and increase bilateral trade to US$20 billion by 2020.

The expo is seen as a significant event to further trade promotion, he said.

VIST Group, a Russian company attending this year’s expo, told Viet Nam News that it provides solutions for the development of information systems and applications in mining, metallurgy, electricity, scientific and telecommunications.

“During this visit, we will introduce many different software systems used in various sectors especially the mining sector. These systems can solve the complicated mining issues currently faced by Russia, Africa, and South America. We hope to meet and co-operate with Vietnamese companies also operating and are interested in this field,” said Tatiana Khamanova, marketing director of VIST.

During his remarks, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said the annual 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 Government’s commitment to enhancing international economic integration,” Khanh said.

Several Vietnamese businesses, from major companies to start-ups, are also present at the expo, including Ha Noi Trade Corporation (Hapro), Ha Noi Beer Alcohol and Beverage Joint Stock Corporation (Habeco), Binh Minh Plastics Joint Stock Company and Dien Quang Lamp Joint Stock Company.

Foreign investors and trade promotion agencies can also find the latest information about Viet Nam’s investment climate at the pavilion on the country’s investment and industrial development promotion, organised by the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade). The booth also introduces the strengths, investment attraction policies and investment opportunities of Ha Noi and Hai Phong cities, and the provinces of Yen Bai, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Dong Thap.

Many promotion activities will also take place on the sidelines of the expo such as an export promotion forum, workshops and visits to industrial parks.

A ‘Korea-Viet Nam Design Sharing Pavilion’ is also one of the event’s highlights.

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

According to Vu Ba Phu, director of Vietrade, this exercise has provided consultancy for Vietnamese enterprises in enhancing design capability, branding and packaging, researching market demands and developing marketing ideas.

Some 2,500 customers visited the booth in 2017 and more than 650 deals were made.

This year’s booth showcases the products of the seven companies including three Vietnamese ones, namely VinaTea Kim Anh JSC, Vinasamex JSC and Kona Company Limited, together with four Korean Enterprises of C & D, Mojitok, DesignBusan Co LTd and Megazone.

The booth aims to create creativity in product label and package design among participating businesses, Phu said.