This was the third time Vietnam has invited to the G20 summit and related meetings, following its first attendance in the Republic of Korea and Canada in 2010 as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the second in Germany in 2017 as Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Vietnam’s presence at recent multilateral forums such as G20 and G7 has reflected the importance the world has attached to the country’s increasing position and role. 

In his remarks, Son emphasised the need to enhance policy coordination to ensure the global economic stability and step up sustainable, inclusive development, while supporting the multilateral trading system based on the law.

Vietnam will continue to constructively join and promote regional and global economic connectivity, partner with other members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to push ahead with the effective implementation of the deal, and closely coordinate with the European Union (EU) for the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he said. 

Son also asserted Vietnam’s commitments to the Paris Agreement on climate change and urged the G20 to boost collaboration in assisting developing countries to shift towards low-carbon economies. 

He lauded the G20’s proposal of marine plastic waste prevention to the agenda and called on the group to back Vietnam’s initiatives to form a global mechanism in marine plastic waste prevention raised at the expanded G7 Summit last year. 

This was the first Sherpa meeting held in Japan in its capacity as the G20 Chair, which aims to begin preparations for the G20 Summit slated for June 28-29 in Osaka, Japan. 

It reviewed achievements the G20 has recorded and discussed orientations and focuses of the G20 agenda in 2019, especially major issues to be debated at the upcoming G20 Summit. 

The delegates touched upon various matters, from economy-global finance, trade and investment to sustainable, inclusive development, global digital economic development in the fourth Industrial Revolution, World Trade Organisation (WTO) reform acceleration, the settlement of global economic imbalances, high-quality infrastructure development, transfer to clean energy, climate change response and the handling of issues regarding employment, health care and  social affairs. 

They agreed to enhance global policy coordination in order to ensure the macro-economic stability, promote trade connectivity, maintain WTO reform pace and join hands in addressing issues posed by the fourth Industrial Revolution. 

Apart from Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Spain, the Netherlands, Chile, Egypt and Senegal were also invited to attend the meeting as guests. 

On the sidelines of the event, Son held bilateral meetings with head delegates of Japan, the US, France, India, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Argentina in an effort to strengthen relations between Vietnam and the partners, and exchange views on issues of mutual concerns in the G20 agenda.-VNA