The Vietnamese government and business community want to find a model of development which is based on competitiveness and at the same time aims for quality, efficiency and sustainability.
The statement was made by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai at a seminar entitled “Enhancing Vietnam’s Competitiveness for Sustainable Development” held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5 on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia 2010.
He said that since 1991, Vietnam ’s economy has seen a high and stable growth. However, the growth is not sustainable because it mainly relies on the exploitation of natural resources and the environment.
Therefore, maintaining economic growth in combination with environmental protection remains a challenge for Vietnam in the coming time, he stressed.
According to the Deputy PM, the Vietnamese government is urgently implementing a series of solutions to create a foundation for rapid and sustainable growth in the post-crisis period and the following years, which include strengthening the country’s competitiveness at both macro and micro levels.
The government will announce the Vietnam Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, and commit itself in taking regular reviews and updates in this field to timely adjust its policies, he added.
Participants at the seminar, including representatives of international organisations, local and foreign corporations, shared their latest assessments on Vietnam ’s competitiveness and discussed measures to improve the position and build a sustainable development model for the nation.
WEF Managing Director Robert Greenhill spoke highly of Vietnam ’s great strides in economic development, education and poverty reduction over the past years.
In 2010, Vietnam jumped 18 places to the 71 st among 125 global economies in trade facilitation, reflecting the fact that the country has delivered on its commitments to the World Trade Organisation on opening up its market to goods and services, he said.
According to Dr. Christian H.M Ketels, special advisor of the Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI), Vietnam should take a more strategic approach to building and developing its assets and capacity in order to find its own way and position in the global economy.
The seminar was jointly organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the ACI and the Global Convention Network of Vietnam (GCNV)./.