Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Vietnam is ready to contribute to cooperation in the framework of the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) mechanism and proposed specific support for the countries.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the event (Photo: VGP)

Attending the 9th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 9) in Bangkok, Thailand on June 16, PM Phuc said Vietnam will help the countries attend big trade fairs in Vietnam, build e-government, improve digital capacity and skills, and continue to provide CLMV scholarships for Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar students. 

He stressed that narrowing the development gap within the ASEAN is significant to the socio-economic development in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam as well as to stability and prosperity of ASEAN as a whole. 

The Prime Minister said there are three points worth of attention in order to achieve the best outcomes in CLMV cooperation. First of all, the cooperation should focus on sectors which are the strength of the concerned countries with high feasibility, especially in the context of limited resources and the four countries’ participation in various Mekong mechanisms. He pinpointed some examples such as soft infrastructure connection, agriculture, tourism, human resource training, and development of sound and equal business climate.

Secondly, CLMV should be creative in mobilizing resources and building joint projects, he said, suggesting integrating CLMV’s contents into other Mekong cooperation mechanisms and invloving development partners in CLMV meetings and project execution. 

Thirdly, the four nations should build mid and long-term cooperation strategies to serve as foundation for their joint activities. 

The 9th CLMV Summit, themed “For Greater Economic Integration and Connectivity”, leaders of the four member states affirmed their determination to bolster collaboration to tap their economic potential, making contributions to the development of the ASEAN bloc and ensuring inclusive and sustainable development in the region.

They expressed their hope that close cooperation will help CLMV countries overcome formidable challenges and grasp new development opportunities.

The summit lauded efforts made by the member states in enhancing transport connection, facilitating trade and investment, and developing human resources. Leaders of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar thanked the Vietnamese Government for granting scholarships and practical training courses for their citizens.

The leaders reached consensus on fortifying multi-faceted connectivity among the four economies to realise CLMV’s targets.

On transportation, the four nations will work to build missing roads in their transport connectivity, upgrade sections in the North-South Economic Corridor, East-West Economic Corridor, and South Economic Corridor, accelerate construction of the Vientiane-Hanoi expressway, and study the feasibility of a road running through Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

On trade, investment and industrial cooperation, they will carry out existing agreements, organise trade and investment promotion activities, stimulate border trade and development of e-commerce, slash trade barriers through the harmonization of standards, branch out special economic and industrial zones, build mechanisms to support small and medium enterprises, and share experience in industrial development.

In a bid to push tourism development, the Action Plan on tourism cooperation during 2016-2018 will be fully implemented. The four nations will create favourable conditions for travel associations to attend regional tourism events as well as encourage public-private partnership in tourism and foster aviation connectivity.

The four member nations will continue the CLMV scholarship programme financed by the Vietnamese Government during 2016-2020, study to set up a database on labour market demand and vocational training programmes. 

In agricultural cooperation, the countries will work to improve productivity, diversify agricultural products, and connect farm produce with consumption market via value chains. They will also expand ties in fisheries and forestry, share good practices and promote sustainable agricultural production.  

Regarding energy sector, they will join hand for the study of the development of new, clean and renewable energy sources, the sustainable management and use of natural resources, including water resources, encourage the harmonisation of electrical technical standards, and push forward the building of common mechanisms for electricity transmission pricing.

The countries will share knowledge and experience in building policies and regulations on developing the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, promoting ICT connectivity among them, expand cooperation in cyber security, and facilitate conditions for ICT enterprises.

Leaders at the summit assigned their senior officials to study measures to streamline CLMV operational mechanism and better combine CLMV cooperation with other Mekong cooperation mechanisms.

They call for more proactive involvement of the business sector and development partners in CLMV projects.

At the end of the summit, the leaders adopted a joint statement of the CLMV 9 and agreed that Laos will be host of the CLMV 10.

The same day, PM Phuc and heads of delegations of members of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) had a working lunch with CEOs of a number of businesses in the region. Vietnamese enterprises present at the function were BRG, T&T, FPT, Vietjet and Hop Luc corporations. 

The ACMECS member countries are Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The 8th ACMECS summit also took place in Bangkok, Thailand on June 16.

Vietnam’s PM proposes solutions to improve ACMECS cooperation

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested a number of measures to make ACMECS cooperation more effective at the 8th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 8) that opened in Bangkok, Thailand on June 16.

He said it is necessary to push for coordination of stance between ACMECS members and development partners, and build a common voice on issues needed to be addressed and cooperation priorities.

Greater attention should be paid to the mobilisation of financial sources via initiatives like the ACMECS Fund and ACMECS Infrastructure Fund and Trust, the Vietnamese PM noted.

He said ACMECS operation mechanism should be improved to be leaner and more effective, suggesting the organization of ACMECS meetings in conjunction with events held by the ASEAN and other Mekong cooperation mechanisms.   

The PM added that ACMECS needs to contribute more directly to and become an integral part of the ASEAN Community formation process through integrating the implementation of the ACMECS Master Plan with that of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and other ASEAN cooperation programmes.

The Vietnamese PM also recommended a number of specific contents for cooperation in transport connectivity, trade-investment, agriculture, tourism, environmental protection, natural resources management, and human resources development

Besides PM Phuc, the ACMECS 8 was attended by State and governments leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. 

Themed “Towards an Integrated and Connected ACMECS Community”, ACMECS 8 focused its discussions on measures to facilitate socio-economic development, improve competitiveness of member economies, and outlined orientations for cooperation for inclusive and sustainable development in the Mekong region. 

Leaders shared the view that the Mekong region boasts a wide market, capable human resources, and a strategic geo-economic location connecting Indian Ocean, the Pacific and Asian markets. 

However, regional countries have to face challenges from the slow recovery of the world economy, the emergence of populism, the return of protectionism, non-traditional security issues such as environment degradation, climate change and natural disasters, requiring ACMECS to further improve the efficiency of its cooperation and enhance coordination between ACMECS and other region and sub-regional mechanisms. 

Participants adopted the Bangkok Declaration and the ACMECS Master Plan for the 2019-2023 period with the goal of turning ACMECS into an economic hub with seamless connectivity and strong integration, on the three main pillars of hard infrastructure and soft infrastructure connectivity and smart and sustainable development.

Accordingly, ACMECS will promote seamless connectivity from multi-modal transports links (roads, rails, bridges, ports, air, inland waterway, and maritime connectivity) including but not limited to infrastructures designed for sub-regional digital connectivity and energy infrastructure interconnection. Special emphasis will be on filling all the missing links in the sub-region, and the auxiliary connection lines linking industrial parks and seaports to main corridor routes; completing the missing railway links to enhance operations of sub-regional railway network, particularly the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) and Southern Economic Corridor (SEC).

It will also harmonise and simplify rules and regulations to facilitate the movement of people, free flow of goods, services, and investment while promoting financial literacy, capital market cooperation as well as financial connectivity such as payment and settlement, use of local currency, fintech and cooperation between banks and other financial service providers.

For smart and sustainable development, ACMECS will promote the development of human capital in strategic areas including entrepreneurship (MSMEs/Startups), agriculture, tourism, medical services and education. Environmental cooperation will continue to be promoted, particularly in sustainable water resource management and in other strategic fields, including agriculture, industry, tourism, health, renewable energy, climate change, disaster-risk management, and natural resources conservation.

The summit also discussed Thailand’s initiative on establishing the ACMECS Fund and ACMECS Infrastructure Fund and Trust as a financing mechanism for cooperation projects in the region. The funds are said to support the implementation of proritised projects in ACMECS member countries.  

The summit highlighted the role of businesses in and outside of the region, with the ACMECS CEO Forum and a dialogue between ACMECS country leaders and CEOs of leading companies in the region taking place for the first time. This showed that the private sector is set to be an important partner of the ACMECS in the future.

ACMECS leaders also welcomed Vietnam’s hosting of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Hanoi on September 11 – 13 this year. They said it would be an opportunity to highlight the Mekong region as an ASEAN’s new dynamic economic engine and promote entrepreneurship in ACMECS countries.

They agreed that Cambodia will host the 9th ACMECS Summit in 2020.

PM active on sidelines of ACMECS 8, CLMV 9

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc were kept busy with a series of meetings on the sidelines of the 8th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 8) and 9th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 9) in Bangkok, Thailand on June 16.

He began the day with a meeting over breakfast with his Lao and Cambodian counterparts Thongloun Sisoulith and Hun Sen. 

They discussed measures to reinforce the three countries’ cooperation focusing on their projects on transport connectivity and human resources training.

PM Phuc pledged that Vietnam will support Laos and Cambodia in boosting their human resources capacity to narrow their development gap with other ASEAN member states and implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Later during the day, the Vietnamese PM held separated meetings with Myanmar President U Win Myint and Secretary General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi.

In his meeting with the Myanmar leader, both officials stressed that the elevation of bilateral relations to comprehensive cooperative partnership has opened a new chapter in their cooperation. 

They agreed to continue implementing agreements reached during the visits made by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in August last year and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in last April.

PM Phuc suggested Myanmar create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses in Myanmar, particularly those operating in the fields of telecommunication, finance – banking, and real estate.

The leaders reached consensus on close collaboration within the cooperation framework of ASEAN, and other Mekong sub-region cooperation mechanisms like the ACMECS.

On the occasion, Phuc repeated an invitation to U Win Myint to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN in Hanoi in September and to soon pay an official visit to Vietnam.

In the meeting with Secretary General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi, PM Phuc lauded the role of the ASEAN Secretariat in helping the CLMV group shorten the development gap with other members in the bloc.

He suggested the body include the CLMV mechanism in ASEAN’s cooperation mechanisms with its partners and international organisations.

Phuc also stressed the importance of human resources training for the CLMV.

In response, Lim Jock Hoi informed the Vietnamese PM that ASEAN will spend 10 million USD on dozens of human resources training projects for CLMV countries.

He praised the responsibility and competency of Vietnamese officials working for the ASEAN Secretariat.

At the meeting, Lim Jock Hoi accepted Phuc’s invitation to attend the WEF on ASEAN in Hanoi.  

Also on June 16, the Vietnamese PM received leaders of several Thai leading businesses, which are investing in Vietnam, including Thai Beverage Public Company Limited and Siam Cement Public Company Limited. 

At the meetings, the Thai companies thanked the Vietnamese Government for its assistance to their operations in Vietnam and wished for further support to come.

Phuc said Vietnam welcomes Thai businesses and voiced his support for their partnerships with the Vietnamese peers in contribution to socio-economic development of both countries.

In June 16 afternoon, PM Phuc and his entourage left Bangkok for Hanoi, concluding the trip to attend the ACMECS 8 and CLMV 9.

Prime Minister receives ThaiBev Chairman in Bangkok

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (ThaiBev) for doing business in Vietnam over the past years during a reception for its Chairman Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi on June 16 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Sabeco Chairman Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi 

The reception took place on the occasion of the Vietnamese PM’s trip to Thailand to attend the 8th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 8) and the 9th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 9). 

The PM spoke highly of ThaiBev’s purchase of 53.59 percent of stakes in Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corporation (Sabeco) with a value of nearly 5 billion USD in the largest deal in Asia in late 2017, which was conducted in an open and transparent manner on the bourse. The event affirmed the Vietnamese government’s stance on fighting corruption and negative phenomena in the equitisation of State-owned enterprises. 

As it is a high-value deal, the Vietnamese government supports ThaiBev’s early joining in Sabeco executive board in line with Vietnam’s law, he said, expressing his belief that under the direction of ThaiBev, Sabeco will pay higher taxes to the State, abide by corporate operation regulations in accordance with Vietnamese law while upholding the value of Sabeco brand for the benefit of investors and Vietnamese brand. 

The Vietnamese government consistently follows the principles of equality, openness and protects legitimate interests of investors, including ThaiBev and Sabeco. 

Sirivadhanabhakdi, for his part, thanked the Vietnamese government for supporting ThaiBev in doing business in Vietnam and successfully purchasing Sabeco stakes in a transparent and open manner. 

He said ThaiBev wants to soon run Sabeco and has already prepared high-level personnel and devised a business plan to promote Sabeco’s growth. 

ThaiBev expects to build Sabeco into the leading beer brand in Vietnam with better quality and various designs, towards bringing more Sabeco products to the world market. 

Speaking highly of the Vietnamese government’s management and policy enforcement, Sirivadhanabhakdi said Vietnam holds the potential of posting strongest growth in Southeast Asia. 

He wished that the government and agencies concerned would clear obstacles regarding taxation and finance for Sabeco. 

The corporate leader unveiled that ThaiBev will continue investing in other fields in Vietnam such as retail, consumer goods to contribute to economic development in the country.

PM concludes trip to attend ACMECS 8, CLMV 9

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his entourage arrived in Hanoi late June 16, concluding his trip to Thailand to attend the 8th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 8) and 9th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 9).

pm concludes trip to attend acmecs 8, clmv 9 hinh 0 At the 8th ACMECS Summit, themed “Towards an Integrated and Connected ACMECS Community”, the leaders focused their discussions on measures to facilitate socio-economic development, improve competitiveness of member economies, and outlined orientations for cooperation for inclusive and sustainable development in the Mekong region. 

The leaders also discussed establishing the ACMECS Fund and ACMECS Infrastructure Fund and Trust as a financing mechanism for cooperation projects in the region.

The summit adopted the Bangkok Declaration and the ACMECS Master Plan for the 2019-2023 period with the goal of turning ACMECS into an economic hub with seamless connectivity and strong integration. It also agreed that Cambodia will host the 9th ACMECS in 2020.

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed the work of building the ACMECS Master Plan and affirmed that Vietnam will coordinate with other member countries to build a plan of action to implement cooperative projects as soon as possible. 

He suggested a number of measures to make ACMECS cooperation more effective, saying that ACMECS needs to contribute more directly to and become an integral part of the ASEAN Community formation process through integrating the implementation of the ACMECS Master Plan with that of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and other ASEAN cooperation programmes.

It is necessary to improve the working mechanism of ACMECS and pay more attention to the mobilisation of financial sources via initiatives like the ACMECS Fund and ACMECS Infrastructure Fund and Trust, the Vietnamese PM noted.

He also recommended a number of specific contents for cooperation in trade-investment, agriculture, tourism, environmental protection, natural resources management, and human resources development. He called for efforts to be channeled into developing the East-West Economic Corridor, the South Economic Corridor and building new roads to facilitate investment within the region.

Meanwhile, the 9th CLMV Summit, themed “For Greater Economic Integration and Connectivity”, leaders of the four member states affirmed their determination to bolster collaboration to tap their economic potential, making contributions to the development of the ASEAN bloc and ensuring inclusive and sustainable development in the region.

They shared the goal of narrowing the development gap within ASEAN and building a dynamic, prosperous CLMV region with sustainable development.

At the end of the summit, the leaders adopted a joint statement of the CLMV 9 and agreed that Laos will be host of the CLMV 10.   

Addressing the CLMV 9, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that narrowing the development gap within the ASEAN is significant to the socio-economic development in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam as well as to stability and prosperity of ASEAN as a whole. 

The Prime Minister said there are three points worth of attention in order to achieve the best outcomes in CLMV cooperation. First of all, the cooperation should focus on sectors which are the strength of the concerned countries with high feasibility, especially in the context of limited resources and the four countries’ participation in various Mekong mechanisms. He pinpointed some examples such as soft infrastructure connection, agriculture, tourism, human resource training, and development of sound and equal business climate.

Secondly, CLMV should be creative in mobilizing resources and building joint projects, he said, suggesting integrating CLMV’s contents into other Mekong cooperation mechanisms and invloving development partners in CLMV meetings and project execution. 

Thirdly, the four nations should build mid and long-term cooperation strategies to serve as foundation for their joint activities. 

He said Vietnam is ready to contribute to cooperation in the framework of the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) mechanism and proposed specific support for the countries, such as helping the countries attend big trade fairs in Vietnam, build e-government, improve digital capacity and skills, and continue to provide CLMV scholarships for Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar students. 

During the time he attending the ACMECS 8 and CLMV 9, PM Phuc held bilateral meetings with his Thai, Lao and Cambodia counterparts and the President of Myanmar, and received executives of some major Thai corporations. 

On the occasion, Phuc and his Thai counterpart witnessed the signing of an MoU on cooperation between the Enterprises Development Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of  Planning and Investment and Thai bank Kasikorn, and a deal on developing the solar power plants Dau Tieng 1 and 2 in Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province with total investment of approximately 400 million USD. 

The trip to attend the ACMECS 8 and CLMV 9 of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc demonstrates the importance that Vietnam attaches to the two cooperation mechanisms. It also helped enhance Vietnam’s position and role in the region, and contributed to opening up a new chapter in Mekong cooperation and to sustainable development and prosperity in the region.

VNA