Up to 300 regional small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are taking part in the ASEAN SME Showcase and Conference (ASSC) 2015 in Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Addressing the event’s opening ceremony on May 26, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin lauded the importance of the players in overall regional development and urged them to play a greater role in ASEAN integration progress.

Meanwhile, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh suggested that regional Governments should devise additional initiatives to support SME collaboration for improved competiveness in the broader global market.

Vietnam has made its presence in the event through seven stalls showcasing products from various fields, including cosmetics, food, and waste processing.

The ASSC 2015 also features a number of workshops with topics revolving around a range of relevant matters like comprehensive business finance, the power of SMEs, and the future of ASEAN SMEs.

The 500 stalls are expected to reel in about 10,000 visitors by May 28.

Earlier, a ministerial-level discussion seeking to build an ASEAN SME community was held among seven ASEAN members, including Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Laos, in Malaysia, which is the 2015 ASEAN Chair.-VNA