HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnam's appetite for mooncakes is rising as adults use the annual treats, traditionally enjoyed by children, to grease the wheels of commerce.

Mooncakes are a sweet, round delicacy given to youngsters and offered to ancestors during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Wednesday.

But in Vietnam's rapidly developing economy they have taken on increased importance for grown-ups who use gifts of mooncakes to build business relationships.