The Asian Regional Financial Leaders’ Conference held for the first time ever in Vietnam concluded on November 13 after two-day in-depth discussions.

The annual conference focused on five main themes of: Emerging from the global financial and economic crisis: The road ahead; The new global financial regulatory landscape: The impact on/influence of Asia; Outlook for the Banking Industry: Regional partnerships and financial integration; Vietnam: Economic and financial reforms and future prospects; and Lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises and micro credit - their role in Asia’s economic growth.

The conference was jointly organised by Vietnam ’s JSC Bank for Foreign Trade and Military Bank and the Institute of International Finance (IIF), the world’s leading global association of financial institutions, with more than 375 members headquartered in more than 70 countries.

According to IIF Managing Director Charles Dallara, the event represents an important milestone on Vietnam ’s journey to becoming more engaged in the global finance and economy and a chance for its leading banks to enhance participation with their peers from across Asia , in exchanging views on today’s critical economic and financial issues.

Speaking ahead of the conference, President and CEO of the JSC Military Bank Le Van Be said that the participation of so many leading Asian financial experts at the conference underlines the mounting foreign interest in Vietnam ’s economy and in the development of its financial sector.

”Our meeting will open new doors for Vietnam as we seek to develop our international contacts and businesses,” added Be.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam’s Management Board Nguyen Hoa Binh considered the meeting an important event, which has come just at the right time given the range of key issues now facing the global economy in the aftermath of the international financial crisis.

He also added that Vietnam ’s economy and its leading financial institutions are well positioned to deepen their ties with the international economy and the global financial community./.