The leader of China’s Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) has expressed a desire to bring the firm’s narrow-body aircraft to Vietnam’s airspace for the air route from and to Con Dao Island off the coast of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in southern Vietnam by the end of the year.

Wei Yingbiao, vice-president of COMAC, aired his wish to contribute to facilitating Vietnamese people’s air travel at a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China on Wednesday.

The meeting was part of the Vietnamese government leader’s trip to attend the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit and bilateral activities in China through Friday at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang.

COMAC, a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer, is well known for the C919 narrow-body aircraft.

Cherishing the Vietnamese market, the COMAC executive managed to travel from Shanghai to Kunming to meet the prime minister to report his cooperation promotion plan.

With Vietnam’s significant economic growth, particularly in the aviation sector, COMAC is eager to invest and hopes to enter the market swiftly, a company representative said.

COMAC has been collaborating with Vietnamese airline Vietjet Air to introduce its aircraft for short-haul flights within Vietnam by late 2024.

The Vietnamese government leader also showed his interest in China’s aircraft manufacturing sector, believing that COMAC will make great strides and increase its competitiveness in the global market in the next 5-10 years. 

PM Chinh expressed optimism about the potential for Chinese aircraft to operate flights to and from Con Dao Island, noting the airport’s current short runway.

He affirmed that Vietnam is working on upgrading Con Dao Airport, including extending and expanding the runway to better accommodate larger aircraft.

Although Con Dao is a small island, it draws a significant number of tourists annually, thanks to its historical and spiritual appeal, Chinh said.

China’s leading flower auction firm aims to help Vietnamese make a fortune

PM Chinh also met with Cao Ronggen, chairman of the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center (KIFA), who expressed his enthusiasm for developing Vietnam's flower industry.

Cao, who has visited Vietnam twice, appreciated the country’s strong potential for modern floriculture.

He proposed collaborating on flower seeds, cultivation, and distribution, as well as establishing a flower trading exchange to supply products to international markets.

He hoped that the initiative would create profitable opportunities for Vietnamese communities engaged in flower cultivation.

PM Chinh welcomed KIFA’s interest, encouraging the company to expand its investments in Vietnam’s high-tech agriculture, particularly in flowers and ornamental plants.

ADB continues to aid Vietnam with energy transition, infrastructure projects

At a meeting with the Vietnamese government leader, Masatsugu Asakawa, president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), highly valued the key role of Vietnam in its cooperation with the Mekong subregion.

ADB has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Vietnam's development through loans focused on energy transition, digitalization, infrastructure upgrades, and achieving net-zero emissions.

The bank pledged to assist Vietnam’s private sector in advancing industries like semiconductors and related sectors, with a view to attracting further investment.

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