On 4th December, CEEC attended the annual Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) with the theme “Sharing Opportunities in the World of Changing Trade” in Hanoi. The Forum is organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the World Bank and IFC and it was chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
“The Prime Minister raised current global challenges,including rising protectionism, trade wars, and the risks of falling support for free trade agreements. However, he described how, with the enthusiasm for and benefits of free trade, Vietnam will seek opportunities for cooperation riding on the flows on peace, cooperation and globalization.
Vietnam continued its impressive development rate in 2018,estimated at 7 per cent, which is much higher than other countries in the region and the highest in the last decade since the world economic crisis in 2008. In order to take advantage of the cooperation and development opportunities, Vietnam needs the efforts of all Vietnamese enterprises, cooperation and sharing opportunities of FDI and the facilitation and partnership of the Government.
The Government will focus on three issues: maintaining social and political stability and macroeconomic fundamentals; accelerating the improvement of the business environment and enhancing national competitiveness; and prioritizing investment in science and technology to improve R&D,invest in infrastructure – in particular, smart and digital infrastructure –and to take advantage of the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,coupled with strong investment in education and human resources.”
