VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam highly values the Asian-Europe Meeting’s (ASEM) initiatives to promote cooperation in developing human resource, creating jobs and ensuring social protection for sustainable development.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Fourth ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers' Conference in Hanoi on October 25, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Vietnam attaches special importance to developing relationswith ASEM countries in diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, labour and social welfare.

Mr Dung said the Vietnamese government has taken drastic measures to secure employment, develop human resources, and ensure social welfare, he said.

Vietnam’s recent achievements have helped improve the people’s living conditions, ensure social equality, and maintain political stability, he said.

The government leader proposed that ASEM tighten ties by sharing experience in building policies and laws relating to employment and social protection and dealing with challenges and changes.

It is important to combine social security and stable employment with growth model renewal toward sustainability and implementation of UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and integrate economic recovery into the sustainable employment agenda, he said.

Mr Dung also suggested ASEM enhance cooperation in vocational training, social security, labour safety and hygiene, with priority given to vulnerable groups such as women, youngsters and people with disabilities.

He said he believes the meeting will positively contribute to the upcoming ninth ASEM Summit in Vientiane, Laos.
PM Dung also reaffirmed Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, openness, diversification and multilateralization of external relations and active international integration.

“The country will spare no effort to develop its relations with other ASEM nations for mutual benefit and for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world,” he said.

VietNamNet/VOV