Delegates at the conference on the implementation of the Agreement on Vietnam's Eastern Highway Economic Corridor (VEHEC)

According to the agreement signed on July 28, 2022 by chairpersons of Provincial/Municipal People's Committees of Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hai Duong and Hung Yen and the VCCI President, on February 28, VCCI cooperated with the four localities to open a conference on implementation of the VEHEC Agreement to concretize this agreement.

At the conference, the parties agreed to approve the establishment of the VEHEC Council and the 2023 Working Plan for the implementation of the VEHEC Agreement.

Specifically, the conference completed establishing the VEHEC Council as a lead body that directs the implementation of the VEHEC Agreement. The council consists of 10 members (each agency has two members) and works on the principle of consensus. The council has two co-chairs, with one being the VCCI President and the other being the Chairperson of the Provincial/Municipal People's Committee of the locality where the first meeting of the VEHEC Council is held (the co-chair is annually rotational) and three vice chairs who are chairpersons of the Provincial/Municipal People's Committees of remaining localities. Five council members are vice chairpersons/vice presidents of the five partaking agencies.

VCCI President Pham Tan Cong addresses the conference

In addition, the conference adopted Operations Regulation on operations of the VEHEC Council; established the Council Secretariat - an assistant body to the council on regular affairs. The Office of the Secretariat is located at the VCCI Headquarters and VCCI appointed Mr. Dau Anh Tuan, Deputy General Secretary of VCCI as Head of the Secretariat. Each locality assigns a departmental leader as Deputy General Secretary, acts as a coordinating agency and directly helps local leaders to implement the VEHEC Agreement.

The VEHEC Council agreed to speed up key activities in 2023, like promoting foreign investment; organizing the VEHEC Industrial Parks Forum 2023; opening workshops on green business investment environment; organizing VEHEC Sub-regional Business Conference; organizing training programs for SME associations on export and import policies and laws; hosting dialogues to remove difficulties in export and import for SMEs; and training business leaders and connecting business opportunities with Taiwan.

Speaking at the conference, VCCI President Pham Tan Cong emphasized that the VEHEC Agreement has initially created a balanced and sustainable region linked with the development of economic corridors, rationally connecting local strengths to create unity and synergy of economy, culture, society, defense and security for the region and the whole country.

"The conference will bring about many good results, form strong connectivity and come to fruition," he said.

Participants in the conference also spent time discussing and clarifying results and achievements in the past time, especially regional connectivity and business connectivity.