Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, head of the organising board of the WEF ASEAN (Photo: VNA)
The WEF ASEAN which will take place from September 11th-13th in Hanoi and draw the participation of high-ranking government representatives, nearly 1,000 executives of regional- and world-leading corporations and hundreds of reporters from global and regional media outlets to cover the event. Therefore, the successful organization of the event is among Vietnam’s largest diplomatic events in 2018, contributing to developing the ASEAN Community, and further heightening Vietnam’s prestige in the region and at the international arena, according to Mr. Son.
Vietnam – WEF trusted and prioritized partner
Since Vietnam and WEF started to cooperate in 1989, WEF is an important forum, making important contributions to Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international integration. Vietnam always builds cooperation with WEF, actively participating and contributing to outstanding initiatives. Vietnam has been joining WEF initiatives and activities in agriculture, trade, infrastructure, information and technology, thus having access and increasing cooperation with world leading corporations.
So far, Vietnam is the first and only country in the Southeast Asian region with which WEF signed and carried out a cooperative agreement in accordance with public–private partnership (PPP).
WEF ASEAN among Vietnam’s largest diplomatic events in 2018
The theme of the forum “ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship in the 4th industrial revolution” proposed by Vietnam, has gained the support of political and business circles and partners, especially ASEAN members, as it is relevant to the ASEAN theme of “resilient and innovative ASEAN”.
Vietnam has left its mark when including the 4th industrial revolution as well as many other contents, including start-up, infrastructure and smart cities, labour and employment, development of human resources, and hi-tech agriculture, which are the concerns of ASEAN member countries, to the forum.
The participation of leaders from various countries and major international organisations, along with the WEF founder and executive chairpersons, shows that the theme and contents of the WEF ASEAN satisfy the region’s and world’s concern and interest; and affirms Vietnam’s increasing position in ASEAN and the world, especially after the country’s successful organisation of the APEC Summit in 2017.
Vietnam News Agency quoted Mr. Son’s saying that the WEF ASEAN will deepen relations between Vietnam and other countries in the region. A number of meetings and official visits of foreign leaders to Vietnam will be made during the event to bolster bilateral ties and collaboration.
With the participation of nearly 1,000 international business executives, the WEF ASEAN also offers chances to introduce Vietnam to the world, along with the policies of the Vietnamese Party and State in economic reform, improvement of business climate and start-up development, among others.
In addition, the forum will facilitate access to new ideas and to development trends, particularly of Industry 4.0, serving the country’s building and implementation of policies, strategies and plans on socio-economic development and domestic businesses’ operation.
The WEF ASEAN is also a festival of ASEAN countries. The organising board has dedicated a space for ASEAN countries to promote themselves, which is a new feature in WEF events so far.
According to Vietnam News Agency, the WEF was established in 1971 as a non-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum engages political, business and other leaders to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups together Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam./.