With the theme “Towards the ASEAN community: From vision to action”, ASEAN Trade and Investment Summit (ASEAN BIS) took place on October 26-28 in Hanoi. It was in the framework of ASEAN 17 and sponsored by ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) VCCI, ASEAN CCI and East Asia Business Council. Nearly 1,000 delegates from ASEAN and partnership countries participated in ASEAN BIS.
Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed the confidence that ASEAN BIS is a good opportunity for promotion of cooperation and exchange of experiences in business efficiency and investment among ASEAN as well as ASEAN partners. The Prime Minister pointed out that after four decades of establishment and development, ASEAN has become a united political-economic entity, a successful and dynamic regional organization playing an important role in the region and an essential partner of other countries and international organizations.
A common market, a unified economic space is taking shape on highly harmonized national trade regulations and macro policy coordination among ASEAN members. Such a process together with networks of free trade areas: ASEAN+1 with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand will increase dynamism of manufacturing entities and free flows of products, services, labour and capital in the region.
Programme and plan of building ASEAN community, including master plan of ASEAN connectivity to be approved by the Summit will promote trade and investment in the region.
The Prime Minister believes that businesses will benefit from the large scale to increase productivity, cut down cost and attain reasonable prices.
Customers are ASEAN and East Asia will have better choice in prices, quality of commodities and services. Furthermore, the process will create connection chain of ASEAN and East Asian businesses, increasing labour division and competitiveness of the region, generating more jobs and narrowing the rich-poor gap, promoting development and social stability.
The Prime Minister considers the formation of ASEAN economic community and networks of ASEAN+1 are only the first steps. It demands much more on dynamism of business community to contribute to business success and regional development. Businesses must make the best use of advantages created by ASEAN governments to increase cooperation, business activities, investment and public-private participation (PPP).
ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan emphasized on the role of private sector in regional economic development. He called on private sector to contribute more to accelerate the economic recovery of ASEAN countries.
Being rated as the biggest of the seven summits, ASEAN-BIS 2010 is participated by all 10 regional economies and 7 partners (Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, South Korea and Russia). In particular, for the first time, ASEAN conduct dialogue with all the 7 strategic partners.
Mai Anh
Vietnamese
