Vietnam Takes the Lead for Improved ASEAN Economic Cooperation

Increasing cooperation between Vietnamese businesses and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) governments and businesses, improving the role of the ASEAN private economic sector, strengthening cooperation between ASEAN economic regions and dialogue countries and promoting the ASEAN community’s role in global economic development are wishes and also commitments made by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) after it was chosen as the chairman of the ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASEAN CCI) and the chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) and after Vietnam was chosen as the chairman of ASEAN in 2010.

Cooperation promotion

As the ASEAN CCI chairman, the VCCI said that in 2010 it will be promoting cooperation between the ASEAN CCI and ASEAN governments through ASEAN’s senior meetings, such as the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM), the Asia-Europe Meeting (AEM) and ASEAN Summit Meeting, for the rapid implementation of the ASEAN Industrial Projects (AIPs), Brand-to-Brand Complementation Program (BBC), ASEAN Industrial Complementation Program (AIC), Basic Agreement on ASEAN Industrial Joint Ventures (BAIJV), ASEAN Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), and ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreement (AFTA). These projects and economic cooperation activities have been paving the way for ASEAN CCI and ASEAN governments to promote joint efforts that are aimed at developing ASEAN into an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

In addition, as the ASEAN CCI chairman, VCCI will be active in improving the structure of the organization, functioning as the ASEAN CCI representative in Senior Economic Officials Meetings (SEOMs) and Asia-Europe Meeting (AEMs), promoting cooperation among ASEAN countries’ chambers of commerce and industry, suggesting positive cooperative activities, and stimulating international integration that contributes to expanding the ASEAN Economic Community.

VCCI President Vu Tien Loc said that Vietnamese businesses want to increase cooperation with ASEAN businesses and governments to further cooperation among state and private sectors within the ASEAN community, and that the VCCI wishes to continue receiving active assistance from chambers of commerce of other ASEAN countries as well as the ASEAN business community in economic integration promotion.

Committed to doing a good job

Following the theme ‘Towards an ASEAN Community: From Vision to Action’, in 2010, the VCCI will concentrate operations on the development of the private sector while gathering related suggestions for submission to ASEAN heads of state and Economic Ministers during dialogues between heads of state and ASEAN BAC members and an ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting that is to take place during the 16th ASEAN Summit Meeting. This canvassing of opinion and proposals is vital for the development of an ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, for which numerous economic agreements were signed and long-term action programs and plans (including the ASEAN Charter) are being gradually implemented.

In 2010, ASEAN BAC Vietnam (a member of VCCI) will be in charge of organizing the 7th or 2010 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ASEAN-BIS 2010) that is to take place on the sidelines of the 16th ASEAN Summit Meeting to create a bridge between the private sector and ASEAN heads of state, state-owned organizations and leading businesses inside and outside the ASEAN community.

ASEAN-BIS 2010 is expected to be an open forum that tightens cooperation among industrial and economic sectors within the ASEAN community. At ASEAN-BIS 2010, businesspeople and economists inside and outside Vietnam will have opportunities to exchange experiences and other information with experts from advanced economies, the media and leading ASEAN businesses and other countries worldwide.

Along with ASEAN-BIS 2010, ASEAN BAC Vietnam will be organizing an ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) ceremony to honor high-achieving ASEAN businesses that have made a major contribution to ASEAN community development and prosperity. ABA will help introduce ASEAN businesses to partners outside ASEAN, including small to medium-sized ASEAN businesses that have the potential to become world-class multi-national companies.

VCCI Deputy Chairman and ASEAN BAC 2010 Chairman Doan Duy Khuong said that Vietnam is committed to trying its best to promote the role of the ASEAN private sector and stipulating cooperation between economic sectors within the ASEAN community and partners from dialogue countries, and contributing to improving ASEAN’s importance in the world economy’s development.

About ASEAN CCI and ASEAN BAC

* ASEAN CCI realizes ASEAN targets for economic integration and cooperation inside and outside ASEAN, works with ASEAN BAC and Regional Industries Clubs (RICs) in strengthening economic integration within the ASEAN community, strengthens ASEAN competitiveness through cooperation between ASEAN CCI member countries, ASEAN BAC and dialogue countries, and works with relevant organizations to discover solutions for constructing an ASEAN economic community. In addition, ASEAN CCI promotes dialogue relations between state and private partners, strengthens cooperation among businesses in finding solutions to ASEAN problems, maintains cooperative relations with organizations inside and outside ASEAN that have similar duties and targets, and promotes ASEAN economic growth through joint efforts that are aimed at reinforcing ASEAN foundation and expanding the ASEAN community.

* ASEAN BAC promotes cooperation between state and private sectors to reach ASEAN Economic Community-related targets, provides the private sector with feedback about ASEAN economic cooperation, and defines areas to which ASEAN leaders need to consider giving a priority. Defining factors that pave the way for and promote economic integration and cooperation, submitting annual proposals to ASEAN senior officials, and organizing ASEAN BIS meetings on the sidelines of the annual ASEAN Summit Meeting are major functions of ASEAN BAC.

By Viet An

Tags: Vietnam asean cooperation

Posted by VBN on Jan 25 2010. Filed under Int'l Cooperation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry