Vietnam’s Deputy PM invites Chinese counterpart to eat lychees

Dung made the invitation while Yang was visiting Vietnamese booths at the event, which is taking place from June 12-17 in China's Yunnan Province, according to a statement posted on the Vietnamese government portal on Sunday.

Vietnamese Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung (R) and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang (L) and other officials during the event. Photo by VGP/Xuan Tuyen

Although Vietnam has opened up new export markets for its lychees to reduce its reliance on China, growers are still saving the pick of the bunch for traders from the northern neighbor. China is Vietnam's biggest lychee customer, buying on average some 60 percent of the annual crop, according to official statistics.

This year, 140 enterprises mainly involved in handicrafts, agriculture, fishery, food processing and home appliances from Vietnam are participating at the expo with 280 booths.

About 5,000 enterprises from 89 countries and regions are taking part in the event in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, Xinhua cited the organizers as saying.

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