The Ayeyawadi-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECSS) should focus on ways to realize the three goals of higher competitiveness, support for the establishment of an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 and sustainable growth in the three rivers, said PM Nguyen Tan Dung.
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ACMECS leaders and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh at the openning ceremony of ACMECS Vientiane, Laos, March 13, 2013 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
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PM Dung made the remarks on March 13 in Vientiane, Laos while addressing the 5th ACMECSS which was chaired by Lao PM Thongsing Thammavong, and attended by Cambodian PM Hun Sen, Myanmar Vice President Mauk Kham, and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh among others.
*Ten year coopeation in focus
The economic and trade relations between ACMECS member states have been flourishing in spite of numerous global and regional challenges.
Total trade volume between Viet Nam and other four countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand has spiralled constantly from around US$7.1 billion in 2009 to US$8.4 billion in 2010; US$10.9 billion in 2011 and US$12.8 billion in 2012.
The outcomes were attributed to joint efforts to perfect preferential policies, streamline administrative procedures and open markets for border trade and investment activities.
The transport connectivity among the five countries has been improved through the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), the South Economic Corridor (SEC), and supported by bilateral and multilateral agreements.
The Summit reviewed the realization of the Phnom Penh Declaration and the 2010 – 2012 ACMECS Action Program on prioritized fields like trade, investment, agriculture, industry, energy, transport, tourism, manpower development, healthcare, social security and environment.
The leaders passed the Vientiane Declaration and the 2013 – 2015 ACMECS Action Plan to foster ACMECS cooperation in the building of the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015; the fuilfillment of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and higher status of ACMECS member states in the global production and supply chains.
Addressing the event, PM Dung suggested ACMECS centering on key fields namely trade, investment and tourism by developing the EWEC, the North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC), the SEC and other cross-border transport routes.
He recommended ACMECS encourage information sharing and research and mobilise private enterprises to participate in ACMECS joint projects in the three rivers.
The sixth ACMECS is scheduled for 2014 in Myanmar.
The same day, PM Dung and other ACMECS leaders had a discussion with the ACMECS business community to reinforce linkages between the public sector and business circle.
The ACMECS leaders strongly committed to sparing no effort to better the business climate, facilitate trade and investment exchanges to turn the region into the most preferred destination to regional and international investors./.