Fourteen pairs of contracts worth nearly US$114 million were signed by some 30 businesses from Vietnam and China at an international tourism fair held in the northern border province  of Lao Cai on November 3.

This year’s fair saw increases in the number of contracts and the value as compared to the previous event in 2007.

The newly-signed deals are mainly in trading minerals, fertilisers, equipment and agricultural products, with minerals and fertilisers representing 60% of the total value.

Also on November 3, Lao Cai province and its neighbouring Chinese province, Yunnan, held an investment promotion conference to introduce the potentials and strengths in industry, trade and tourism of the two countries.

More than 100 businesses from the two countries attended to study policies and regulations in order to increase their investment in coming years. (VNA)