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Submitted by ctv_en_4 on Sat, 01/27/2007 - 14:10
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Philippine President Gloria M. Arroyo and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah A. Badawi attended a special panel session to mark the 40th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on January 26.

The three leaders had a direct dialogue and answered questions raised by foreign media workers at the annual meeting attended by top politicians, monetary policymakers and senior business executives.

Mr Dung affirmed that Vietnam has made significant contributions to ASEAN since it officially joined the bloc. He said the membership has helped Vietnam strengthen the friendly and cooperative relations with other ASEAN member countries, expand the market within the bloc, attract investment, boost cooperation with non-ASEAN economies and increase its role and position in the international arena for shared development and for peace and prosperity.

The Vietnamese PM welcomed the bloc’s decision to draft the ASEAN Charter agreed by ASEAN leaders at the recent 12th ASEAN summit in the Philippines, considering it a milestone in the 40-year history of the association. He went on to say that in the new context ASEAN will map out new mechanisms without running counter to fundamental principles of the bloc.

Vietnam
– a market economy
Vietnam is integrating deeply into the world economy and it is really a market economy,” Mr Dung affirmed in response to a question on Vietnam’s future economic policy raised by a Chinese reporter.


He said the country has established trade ties with more than 200 countries and territories, with an average economic growth rate of between 7 and 8 percent over the past 20 years and exports making up 60 percent of the country’s total GDP. In addition, it officially joined the World Trade Organisation.


To achieve a steady economic growth in the coming years, Mr Dung said Vietnam will continue to finalise institutions and close any loopholes to prevent corruption while promoting democratic practice at the grassroots level so that every citizen, the press and community oversee State and public spending. He said Vietnam will strictly deal with corruption and continue salary reform to help State workers fulfil their tasks without thinking of corruption.


Regarding the establishment of an ASEAN community, Mr Dung said each member country and the entire bloc should expand cooperation with all countries on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and shared development.     


On January 27, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey and received representatives of several major world economic groups. Later, he received representatives of the overseas Vietnamese community in Switzerland before leaving Davos for Vietnam.

Global leading groups eye Vietnamese market

PM Dung holds dialogue with CEOs
PM Dung holds dialogue with CEOs
Earlier, Mr Dung had a meeting with more than 50 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting. He briefed the executives on Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements over the past 20 years of implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process and hoped that with political stability and incentive policies Vietnam will continue to be an attractive destination for foreign investors. 

The executives praised Vietnam’s high economic growth and expressed their wish to invest in the country. France’s insurer AXA and power company EDF, the Metro Group and others all expressed their belief that Vietnam’s policy will attract investment.


Talking to media reporters, PM Dung said that Vietnam will continue to improve its institutions to match the requirements of the market economy, integrate into the world economy and the World Trade Organisation. He said the country will further improve its business environment and establish a fair and competitive legal environment for all economic sectors and for domestic and foreign investment while building a law-governed state, accelerating administrative reform and fighting corruption.


After a meeting with the General Director of Credit Suisse of Switzerland, PM Dung witnessed a signing ceremony of a capital arrangement agreement between the Swiss bank and the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) and the Vietnam Maritime Corporation.


Under the agreement, the Swiss bank will provide US$700 million in loans to Vinashin to develop shipyards and other supporting industries.


Credit Suisse will also grant a US$1 billion loan to the Vietnam Maritime Corporation to develop a fleet of ships and build seaports' infrastructure and other projects.


Earlier, PM Dung received Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Prof. Klaus Schwab, who said that Vietnam has many opportunities and many big groups around the world are showing keen interest in seeking investment opportunities in the country.

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