HANOI - As many as 43 leading businesses from New Taipei city, China's Taiwan, met with 550 Vietnamese counterparts in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh city on Monday to explore cooperation opportunities and seek partnerships.

They examined the possibility of cooperating in a number of areas ranging from mechanics, hardware, information technology, and electronics industries to automobile components production, global positioning system (GPS) devices, chemicals and green energy products.

Hui-Ching Yeh, commissioner of Economic Development of the New Taipei city, said the event helped Taiwan expand business opportunities in the lucrative Southeast Asian market and boost trade ties, reported local online Voice of Vietnam.

Taiwan has invested in more than 2,000 projects in Vietnam, of which 500 are by investors from New Taipei city.