On the evening of August 21, 2025, the usually bustling Co.opmart Lê Hồng Phong supermarket in Hải Phòng’s Ngô Quyền ward became even livelier. Shoppers were drawn not just by their daily grocery runs, but by the opening of a unique event: the “Sơn La Province Safe Agricultural Products and Food Week in Hải Phòng 2025.” Organized by the People’s Committee of Sơn La province in partnership with their Hải Phòng counterparts, the event set out to do more than simply showcase local produce—it aimed to deepen the roots of regional cooperation and boost the market reach for Sơn La’s signature goods.
The scale was impressive. According to the event’s organizers, forty booths filled the supermarket’s event space, each brimming with a tantalizing array of agricultural products. There were safe fruits and vegetables, OCOP-certified specialty goods, and standout rural industrial items, all hailing from the fertile highlands of Sơn La. For Hải Phòng residents, it was a rare chance to sample the tastes and textures of the northwest, from crisp apples and fragrant tea to dried delicacies and robust coffee. Many families, delighted by the selection, stocked up in bulk—some to enjoy at home, others to gift to friends and relatives.
This wasn’t just about food, though. As reported by local officials, the event represented a concrete step in realizing the memorandum of understanding signed between the Party Committees of Hải Phòng city and Sơn La province. This agreement, forged for the 2022–2025 period, calls for comprehensive cooperation—especially in trade and market expansion. “The week is an opportunity for Sơn La to promote its distinct products, seek stable market outlets, expand distribution channels, and foster commercial cooperation between the two localities,” explained a representative from Sơn La’s Center for Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion during the opening ceremony, according to local coverage.
The timing couldn’t have been better. As of July 2025, Sơn La’s agricultural sector was in robust health. The province boasted over 85,050 hectares of fruit trees, with about 67,038 hectares in active production. The estimated output was an astonishing 510,000 tons of fruit, and by mid-year, more than 280,000 tons had already been consumed—over half the annual plan. The total value? Nearly 3,000 billion VND, a testament to both the productivity of Sơn La’s farmers and the appetite of Vietnamese consumers for high-quality, safe food.
The event ran from August 21 to August 24, open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., giving Hải Phòng locals plenty of time to browse, taste, and buy. The atmosphere was festive, with the aroma of fresh produce mingling with the chatter of visitors and the enthusiastic pitches of stallholders. For Sơn La’s producers, it was a golden opportunity to connect directly with urban consumers, gather feedback, and explore new market possibilities. For Hải Phòng’s shoppers, it was a sensory journey into the heart of Vietnam’s northwest—without ever leaving the city.
But regional cooperation in Vietnam this year wasn’t limited to Sơn La and Hải Phòng. Just a few months later, from November 19 to November 24, 2025, attention shifted northwards, to the border province of Lào Cai. There, the 25th Vietnam-China International Trade Fair was set to unfold at the Kim Thành Exhibition Center, transforming the area into a bustling crossroads of commerce and culture.
With a theme of “Lào Cai and Vân Nam – Connection and Development,” the fair promised to be one of the year’s most significant economic events. Organizers planned for 500 to 550 standard booths, covering an exhibition area of about 4,000 square meters. The lineup was as diverse as it was impressive: agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products; machinery; raw materials; chemicals; construction materials; electronics; home appliances; textiles; footwear; consumer goods; furniture; and handicrafts. There were even special zones for automobile displays and culinary showcases, ensuring that every visitor would find something to pique their interest.
Over sixty enterprises from both Vietnam and China, alongside representatives from economic organizations, associations, and even third countries, were slated to attend. The fair, which alternates annually between Lào Cai (Vietnam) and Vân Nam (China), has grown into a major economic forum, often featuring between 600 and 800 booths. Its reputation for fostering business ties and investment opportunities is well established. “The fair prioritizes booths exhibiting branded products that meet export-import conditions and promotes investment, trade, and tourism,” stated a representative from Lào Cai’s Department of Finance during a pre-event conference, as reported by local media.
One of the most anticipated innovations this year was the Megalive program—a series of live demonstrations, product launches, and direct sales designed to bring exhibitors and buyers closer together. The program aimed to leverage the energy of live events to boost product visibility and generate immediate business leads. Alongside the main exhibition, organizers scheduled conferences to introduce new export-import policies and facilitate networking between Vietnamese and Chinese trade, service, and logistics firms.
For Chinese enterprises, the Lào Cai authorities offered a helping hand: financial support for customs declarations, health and animal quarantine procedures, infrastructure usage fees, and access to public conveniences at the border gate. This practical assistance was designed to lower barriers, encourage participation, and smooth the way for cross-border business.
According to the organizers, the fair’s broader goal was to create a dynamic platform for investment, trade, and tourism promotion. By bringing together businesses, policymakers, and industry associations from both sides of the border—and beyond—the event sought to spark new partnerships, facilitate the signing of cooperation agreements, and drive economic growth in the region. “The fair is a large-scale economic forum, offering many opportunities for businesses from both countries to sign cooperation contracts,” noted a Lào Cai official, echoing the optimism of many participants.
Both the Sơn La food week in Hải Phòng and the Vietnam-China International Trade Fair in Lào Cai underscore a broader trend in Vietnam’s economic strategy: leveraging regional strengths, fostering inter-provincial and international cooperation, and using high-profile events to connect producers with new markets. These efforts not only boost local economies but also help Vietnamese goods reach a wider audience, both at home and abroad.
As the fruits of Sơn La found eager buyers in Hải Phòng and Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises prepared to converge in Lào Cai, the message was clear—collaboration, innovation, and openness are driving forces in Vietnam’s evolving marketplace. With each event, the ties between regions and nations grow a little stronger, and the prospects for shared prosperity brighten just a bit more.
