PM Nguyen Tan Dung on Monday left Hanoi to attend the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 8) in Brussels, Belgium, lasting on October 4-5 at the invitations of Belgian PM Yves Leterme and EU President Herman van Rompuy.
The Vietnamese Government chief is accompanied by Minister, Chairman of the Office of Government Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen, and Vietnamese Ambassador in Belgium Nguyen Manh Dung.
* New opportunities
ASEM 8 takes place at a time while the world in general and the continents of Asia and Europe in particular are witnessing profound and rapid changes in terms of economics and politics.
Developing countries in Asia, especially China, India and Vietnam, have rebounded with high growth rates and become a driving force for global economic recovery while developed countries such as those in the Europe are encountering with public bad debts, high unemployment, as well as double dip recession.
Asian and European leaders will discuss major global issues, ways to spur the Asia-Europe linkages, financial reform, economic management, and response to natural disasters and epidemics.
Leaders of ASEM will also seek a sustained development model in the interest of the two continents and each country.
* Upholding Vietnam’s status
Over the last time, Vietnam has succeeded in maintaining economic growth rates, stabilizing macro-economy and fulfilling missions of its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2010.
In recent years, the relations between Vietnam and ASEM member states have been enhanced especially in economic field with the signing of economic agreements and formulation of free-trade areas.
Vietnam pledges to make positive contributions to ASEM 8 for sustained development, efficiency of the global economic-financial mechanism and high position of ASEM./.