The China–Vietnam Cooperation Week for the Honghe River Basin opened on Friday in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the goal of exploring more practical avenues to advance coordinated regional development.

The event brought together representatives from government agencies, research institutions and enterprises across the China–Vietnam Economic Corridor and regions along the Honghe River Basin. Participants engaged in discussions on cross-border cooperation, industrial synergy and people-to-people exchanges.

The 1,280-kilometer Honghe River, which originates in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains and flows southeastward into northern Vietnam, has nourished rice-growing civilizations for millennia. Today, it remains a vital link binding the peoples of both countries.

Bordering Vietnam's Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces, Honghe prefecture enjoys what Luo Ping, prefectural governor of Honghe, describes as a "door-to-door, neighbor-to-neighbor" geographical advantage – one that places the prefecture at the forefront of China–Vietnam local cooperation.

Hoang Minh Son, consul general of Vietnam in Kunming, said the cooperation week offers a valuable platform for localities, institutions and enterprises of both sides to deepen exchanges and learn from each other.

"It will help strengthen cooperation in areas such as green economic development, digital transformation, water resource protection, climate change response, and cultural and ecological tourism," he said.

Local-level collaboration is a key component of China–Vietnam relations. During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Vietnam in April, the two sides issued a joint statement expressing strong support for exchanges between border provinces and for enhanced cooperation among trade unions, women's and youth organizations, as well as sister cities.

The growing economic ties are already evident. At the 2024 China–Vietnam (Honghe) Border Economic, Trade, and Tourism Fair, procurement transactions totaled 12.449 billion yuan (about $1.75 billion).

Looking ahead, Luo said Honghe will work to promote a mutually recognized system for agricultural product quality standards, deepen cooperation in sectors such as green energy and new energy batteries, and enhance coordination across industrial and supply chains.

Nguyen Thi Hien Hạnh, vice chairwoman of the People's Committee of Lao Cai Province, said Lao Cai will prioritize cooperation in railway and logistics development and advance digitalization in border gate management, aiming to build a modern, smart and efficient model for the Lao Cai–Hekou international border gate.

Progress is already under way. In late 2024, China State Railway Group began survey and design work for the standard-gauge railway connection between Hekou and Lao Cai. A review of the project's feasibility study report was conducted in June 2025.

The event resulted in the adoption of the "China–Vietnam Honghe River Basin Local Cooperation Consensus," which calls on both sides to strengthen policy communication, advance connectivity of infrastructure, expand economic and trade cooperation, and promote closer people-to-people ties.

During the cooperation week, the Vietnamese delegation will also visit several industrial parks in Honghe to explore further opportunities for cross-border collaboration.