On the afternoon of December 8, at the online conference between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Agriculture and Rural Development) of Vietnam and the General Department of Customs of China to promote trade in agricultural products of the two countries, the heads of these two agencies signing the protocol of black jelly export to China.

According to Mr. Hoang Trung - Director of Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Chinese experts went to Lang Son to inspect the local production, packaging and preservation measures of black agar.

 
Lang Son currently has the largest black agar planting area in the country with an area of ​​about 2,000 ha for an output of over 10,000 tons / year. With that output, the people's income in the province with this product is about 200-250 billion / year. The opening of this product will bring better export opportunities and increase income for people in the coming time. Besides, Cao Bang province or some southern provinces can also develop this crop.

Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong highly appreciated that the General Director of the General Department of China Customs - Mr. Nghe Nhac Phong and his colleagues actively supported to promote online signing of the Protocol on black Agar export from Vietnam to China. China has also agreed and directed the technical level of the two sides to conduct online or video assessment and appraisal measures for Vietnam's swallow nest products.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is also requesting China to consider opening up export markets for durian, sweet potato, pomelo, and passion fruit products from Vietnam. The proposals of Vietnam are being considered by the authorities to early sign the protocol in the near future.

In the opposite direction, regarding the proposal to import Chinese hybrid rice varieties, Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that Vietnam highly appreciated, supported and created the most favorable conditions for Chinese hybrid rice varieties to be sown in Vietnam. The ministry will direct research institutes to receive and research rice varieties for Vietnam and China.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed to let relevant agencies of the two countries set up hotlines in order to promptly coordinate and deal with problems in trade between the two countries to meet the needs of the two sides' agricultural development. The two sides also agreed to enhance the fight against smuggling and quarantine of animals to prevent cross-border animal diseases and improve the quarantine capacity of the two sides.

Vietnam is currently the 7th largest trading partner of China globally, ranking first in ASEAN. In the agricultural sector, the two sides have signed 13 documents aimed at promoting trade in agricultural products of the two countries. Vietnam and China have a close complement to each other. Vietnam exports products to China such as food, industrial crops, tropical fruits and vegetables, and aquatic products. In contrast, China exports to Vietnam such items as agricultural supplies and equipment, temperate products, and processed agricultural products.

In the period 2010 - 2019, the trade turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products between the two countries increased by an average of 15% per year, reaching 15.7 billion USD in 2019. In the difficult context of the Covid-19 epidemic, in 10 months Through early 2020, the trade turnover of agriculture, forestry and fishery Vietnam - China will still reach 11.2 billion USD; in which, exports from Vietnam to China reached 8.3 billion USD, imports reached 2.9 billion USD.