Affirmation of Vietnam's responsibility for the prosperity of ASEAN

It can be said that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's attendance at the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in 2017 once again affirmed the message of a Vietnam that is always proactive, positive and responsible for the prosperity of the ASEAN Community.

On the afternoon of May 12, on a commercial flight of Vietnam Airlines, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation arrived in Hanoi, successfully concluding their participation in the 26th World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN 2017) in Cambodia at the invitation of WEF Chairman Klaus Schwab.

During the Conference from May 11-12, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and spoke at the opening plenary session of "ASEAN 50 Years of Youth", the dialogue session between leaders (IGWEL) "ASEAN 50 Years", the discussion session "Investing in Smart Infrastructure", listened to the report of the ASEAN Regional Strategy Group (RSG), the thematic session on Vietnam, the closing session and the handover ceremony of the WEF ASEAN 2018 Conference to Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the opening session of WEF-ASEAN. Photo: VGP

With the theme “Youth, Technology and Growth: Ensuring ASEAN’s Digital and Demographic Dividends”, this year’s WEF ASEAN Conference took place in the context of ASEAN celebrating its 50th anniversary, attracting more than 600 delegates and many high-ranking leaders participating such as the Prime Minister of Cambodia, the Prime Minister of Laos, and the President of the Philippines.

This is also a forum for the business community to evaluate the development process, identify the advantages and difficulties of ASEAN in the face of strong changes in economy, science and technology, and the 4.0 Industrial Revolution taking place in the world and the region.

On the sidelines of the Conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received and held dialogues with leaders of major organizations and corporations in the region and the world such as WEF CEO Philipp Roesler, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Jin Liqun, Mr. Naveen Menon - President of Cisco Group in ASEAN, President in charge of Asia-Pacific region of P&G Group Magesvaran Surajan, Regional Director of HSBC Bank Doreen Steidle, Vice President of Shire Group Linda Seah, Vice President of GE Group Christian Bennett...

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and WEF Managing Director Philipp Roesler. Photo: VGP

Speaking at the working sessions, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shared with ASEAN leaders the achievements in regional development and integration that ASEAN has made over the past 50 years, which are the basis for ASEAN to confidently move forward to overcome challenges and seize favorable opportunities for rapid and sustainable development in the coming time.

The Prime Minister emphasized that ASEAN's dynamic development is opening up many favorable opportunities for businesses, in which Vietnam is one of the most dynamic economies with an average GDP growth of 6% over the past 30 years and expected to increase by 6.5-7% in 2017-2020.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the opening session of the WEF-ASEAN plenary session. Photo: VGP

The Prime Minister assessed that, like other ASEAN countries, Vietnam has a large potential market for innovation with a young population, of which 60% are under 35 years old and about 52% of the population uses the internet; is continuing to promote international integration through signing many free trade agreements (FTAs), including high-standard FTAs, and together with ASEAN countries, moving towards a unified ASEAN market...

However, the Prime Minister also pointed out the challenges for ASEAN in how to effectively promote the potential of the abundant young workforce in the context of rapidly evolving technological innovation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

To maintain dynamic growth and competitiveness, ASEAN cannot rely solely on resources and low-skilled young labor and must create new, stronger growth drivers from innovation.

In that spirit, the Prime Minister proposed that the WEF ASEAN Forum should consider establishing a Working Group to research and recommend policies on education and vocational training, promote the formation of a market for creative start-up ideas, and encourage businesses to invest in developing or purchasing start-up ideas from young ASEAN talents.

Prime Minister and representatives of WEF member corporations. Photo: VGP

Together with ASEAN leaders, the Prime Minister is optimistic about the strong development of ASEAN for peace, stability, people-oriented, leaving no one behind, respecting the rule of law and developing together in prosperity. “Vietnam will do its utmost together with ASEAN and partners to successfully achieve this noble goal,” the Prime Minister said.

At the Vietnam Seminar, in front of hundreds of delegates including leaders of many countries, international organizations, large corporations in the region and the world, the Prime Minister stated: Vietnam is determined to build a development-creating government and affirms the policy of developing private enterprises to play an important role in the economy, promoting institutional reform, creating a favorable environment for businesses and people, especially the young generation, to take advantage of the opportunities of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, reviving education, promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship, creativity and dynamism of the whole country.

With that spirit, the Prime Minister hopes that international businesses and investors will cooperate with Vietnam for mutual benefit, win-win and success, and believes that "you will join us in creating a brilliant dawn in Vietnam".

The Prime Minister received the bell of the host country of the WEF ASEAN 2018 from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Photo: VGP

On this occasion, as the host country of APEC 2017, the Prime Minister welcomed delegates to Vietnam to attend APEC activities to share ideas and cooperation opportunities for the common prosperity of the region.

Leaders of international organizations, corporations and investors highly appreciated Vietnam's potential and development opportunities and said that the Prime Minister's opinions and messages encouraged and motivated them to come to Vietnam and cooperate with Vietnam.

Closing the Conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc took over the role of host country of WEF ASEAN 2018. Believing that the WEF once again choosing Vietnam to host the regional WEF conference is a testament to the strong development of the partnership between Vietnam and WEF as well as between Vietnam and the business community, the Prime Minister affirmed that he will cooperate with WEF and partner countries to successfully organize the WEF ASEAN 2018 Conference in Vietnam.

It can be said that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's visit to the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in 2017 once again affirmed the message of a proactive, positive and responsible Vietnam for the prosperity of the ASEAN Community as well as promoting the image of a dynamic economy, determined to reform and integrate internationally with the determination to build an honest, development-creating, action-oriented Government serving the people and businesses.

According to Baochinhphu.vn