The event, held under the theme of “Asia Leadership in an Uncertain World”, drew the participation of leaders of countries, representatives of businesses and prestigious scholars in the region, including the Prime Ministers of Japan, Malaysia and Thailand and the Deputy Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Singapore.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai at the forum.

Khai said that the world has been witnessing rapid and unpredictable changes, with uncertainty covering many aspects of the international landscape, from geopolitics to the geo-economic situation, social issues, environment, climate change, and other non-traditional security challenges.

Following nearly three decades of continuous growth, the world’s economy is moving into a period of hardship and unpredictability with increasing risks. Many international organisations are raising alarms about a decade of low growth with stagnant productivity at the global scale.

Despite the volatility and uncertainty in the global situation and economy, Asia continues to maintain robust and stable growth, he said, underscoring the region has successfully sailed through difficulties, addressed challenges, emerged stronger, and present itself as a growth model, taking the lead in many novel areas.

He proposed three assurances and three enhancements for Asia’s future development and strengthened roles, with the former ones including a peaceful and stable environment as the premise for cooperation and development, benefits of free trade and investment distributed widely and equally among countries, and common challenges addressed by embracing international cooperation, multilateralism, inclusiveness and comprehensiveness.

Regarding the three enhancements, he called on partners to enhance and reinforce the adaptability and resilience of the economies and businesses, the effectiveness of resource utilisation to bolster new growth engines in green economy and digital economy, and B2B cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural and tourism exchanges.

In tandem with Asia’s overarching growth, Vietnam has recorded remarkable changes and proudly serves as the role model in several important aspects of development, he said, elaborating the country has established itself as a paragon in the history of international relations for its efforts to overcome and address the consequences of war, build post-war diplomatic relations, open its economy, and engage in extensive international integration.

Going forward, Vietnam is entering a new stage of development with the vision of becoming a developed country by 2045. To this end, Vietnam focuses on implementing three strategic breakthroughs in economic institutions, infrastructure, and human resources, as well as has been determined to build an independent and self-reliant economy while engaging in international integration in an active, extensive, substantive, and effective manner.

According to Khai, the nation is stepping up efforts to build a strong and transparent Party and resolutely combat violations and wrongdoings to consolidate the people’s trust in the Party and State, as well as in the political and legal system. Moreover, it is bolstering discipline within the state apparatus while maintaining and building upon political stability for national development.

Vietnam remains committed to creating favourable conditions for and protecting the legal and legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and investors who are engaging in long-term, effective, and sustainable operation in the country, and consider the success of the business community as Vietnam’s own success. The Vietnamese Government will always work with businesses and investors in the coming journey to together solve challenges, turn risks into opportunities, and achieve rapid and sustainable progress, he stressed.

Based on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World between Vietnam and Japan, he requested the business community of both countries to actively leverage this new partnership, bolster economic connectivity, and collaborate to ensure economic security and maintain stable supply chains.

As an inseparable member whose journey and destiny are closely intertwined with the “larger Asian family”, it is Vietnam’s responsibility to contribute to regional peace, stability, and development, he said, highlighting the country wishes to further harness its role as “a good friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member” of the region and international community.

He expressed his belief that with the fundamental values of diversity, dynamism, and resilience, Asia will continue to make steady progress on its future path, pen new triumphant stories, and accomplish outstanding missions in the 21st century.

While in Japan, Khai hosted a reception for Naotoshi Okada, Chairman and Group CEO of Nikkei, during which he requested the company to coordinate with Vietnam in communications work to popularise the country’s images and contribute to concretising the joint statement on the upgrade of the bilateral relations.

Okada, for his part, spoke highly of the socio-economic development of Vietnam in the past time, and underscored the significance and prospects of the Vietnam – Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that create new opportunities for cooperation between enterprises of both nations.

Source: VNA