Da Nang hosts EWEC fair on trade, investment and tourism promotion

The East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) International Trade, Investment and Tourism Fair opened in the central city of Da Nang on August 11, gathering nearly 200 businesses and organisations from localities nationwide, as well as from foreign countries.

Various products introduced at the EWEC fair, which opened in Da Nang on August 11. (Credit: NDO)
Various products introduced at the EWEC fair, which opened in Da Nang on August 11. (Credit: NDO)

This event is part of a series of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the ASEAN.

Approximately 350 booths are showcasing various products and services in the fields of electricity, electronics, IT, furniture, interior decor, handicrafts, hotels and restaurants, as well as consumer products, processed and canned food, textiles, leather shoes, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Around 22 agricultural and trade promotion centres from Hanoi, Yen Bai, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Hau Giang, Binh Thuan and Binh Phuoc joined in the event.

Particularly, 15 provinces and cities from foreign countries, such as South Africa, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Hungary and Indonesia, displayed their products at the fair, with the main products including processed food and beverages, local specialties, farm produce, fruit, and industrial products.

A workshop on cooperation and the development of services on the EWEC and artistic performances will take place during the six-day event, offering opportunities for enterprises to introduce and display their products, whilst helping them to explore and expand markets.

As part of the trade fair’s activities, a signing ceremony for a Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation between businesses was held during the 2017 Da Nang Supply and Distribution Connection Conference. This is also an opportunity for enterprises, producers and distributors to exchange and collaborate.

Businesses sign agreements to supply products at the 2017 Da Nang Supply and Distribution Connection Conference. (Credit: NDO)

According to Vice Chairman of the Da Nang municipal People’s Committee Tran Van Mien, the fair offers a chance to promote trade, investment and tourism of the EWEC. It is of significance for participating enterprises as they can seek partners, develop business and production and promote their products to consumers, he added.

At the opening, businesses have found investors to expand their markets and promote products, meanwhile, through the supply-demand conference, hundreds of enterprises have signed cooperation agreements to supply products.

The EWEC is an economic development programme initiated to promote the development and integration of four Southeast Asian countries, namely Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. The concept was agreed upon in 1998 at the Ministerial Conference of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), organised in Manila, the Philippines. The corridor became operational on December 12, 2006.

It was created based on a road stretching 1,450 km across Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, from Mawlamyine in Myanmar to Da Nang in Vietnam, which is one of the key economic corridors in the GMS and aims at deepening integration and trade and investment links, whilst reducing poverty in the region.

Vietnam’s Central region and Central Highlands witnessed busy commercial activities in the first six months of the year, with total retail sales reaching over VND312 trillion, up 14.4% over the same period last year. Provinces with a positive increase of over 13% include Da Nang, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Quang Tri and Phu Yen.