ASEAN and Viet Nam always welcome businesses to work and harvest success together, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed during the virtual ASEAN Business Forum 2020 that opened on August 25.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks  at the event, Ha Noi,  August 25, 2020

The three-day event was jointly held by the Standard Chartered Bank and the Reuters news agency under the theme “Unlocking the Region’s Potential”, bringing together senior leaders of enterprises and organizations from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States., 

The world and ASEAN are witnessing the serious outbreaks and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Phuc said, noting that amid these unprecedented obstacles, the ASEAN Community has confidently showed its bravery, efforts and resilience, and actively cooperated with partners through the implementation of resolutions of Economic Ministers Meetings with the US, Australia and the EU, and the joint statements of the ASEAN Summit and ASEAN+3 Summits with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea in Ha Noi in April 2020.

The leader touched upon ASEAN’s strong economic cooperation policies towards the ASEAN Vision 2025 and 2030. Accordingly, ASEAN member states will continue to unite together, maintain stability, affirm and promote the bloc’s central role in regional economic cooperation, and prioritize cooperation with partner countries and other international business.

Photo: VGP

ASEAN will also uphold the rule of law and build stable and sustainable cooperation frameworks, especially for the development of the digital economy, he stated, adding that ASEAN is striving to invest in developing both soft and hard infrastructure development, with a focus on improving the quality of human resources for effective investment and business.

The PM said ASEAN will work to narrow the development gap and expand cooperation in the Mekong Subregion, affirming that the bloc attaches great importance to the companionship between businesses and the Governments.

The forum’s discussion section will feature four sessions, during which speakers from the public and private sectors will discuss ASEAN’s trade opportunities amid the ongoing geopolitical challenges, as well as strategies for businesses to sustain and promote growth./.