GMS leaders at the sixth GMS Summit (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Leaders of the nationsin the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) delivered their commitments to stronger subregionalcooperation at the plenary session of the sixth GMS Summit in Hanoi on March31.
Right after the opening speech of VietnamesePrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen highly valuedthe GMS 25-year cooperation, with numerous achievements in enhancing theregion’s competitiveness and building a community of prosperity, peace, andsolidarity.
[Sixth Greater Mekong Subregion Summit a success]
The GMS cooperation has supported its membersin achieving the millennium development goals, particularly promoting theinclusive and sustainable development and addressing challenges such as watershortage, poor infrastructure and global economic instability.
He suggested the GMS members nations connectwith each other more effectively via investment in infrastructure, energy andtransport, and agreements on transport facilitation and economic special zonesalong their borderlines, thus contributing more comprehensively to the regionaleconomy.
The GMS countries need to increase regionaltechnology transfer in building physical and digital infrastructure, thusfacilitating investment, free trade and tourism, while promoting regionalcomprehensive and inclusive development via effectively implementing the GMS’sprogrammes for a region of integration, peace, prosperity and stability.
State Counsellor of China Wang Yi underlinedthe cooperation among the six GMS nations over the past 25 years, saying thatthey share mutual benefits and thus have the responsibility for boosting prosperousdevelopment, regional cooperation, and economic growth.
He suggested the GMS nations create newopportunities for development, increase value chain, financial support andcooperation among border areas and industrial parks, while working more closelytogether to reach common prosperity.
Congratulating the GMS nations on their achievements inimplementing the subregion’s action plans and cooperation agreements, Lao PrimeMinister Thongloun Sisoulith said Laos pledges and give priorities toestablishing a cross-border transport network and an one-stop mechanism inborder areas, as well as boosting cooperation in all economic fields,particularly in the subregion’s economic corridors.
The GMS nations need to fully tap theirpotential via joint development projects, while luring financial resources andensuring green growth and common prosperity for the whole subregion, the Lao PMsaid.
He also called on the six nations to increasetechnology transfer, narrow the development gaps among them, enhance theircompetitiveness, and boost public-private-partnership as well as businesscooperation.
Vice President of Myanmar U Henry Van Thio welcomed the Hanoi Action Plan2018-2022 as well as the Regional Investment Framework 2022 and the GMSsectoral cooperation strategies.
He called on the GMScountries to ensure financial resources to implement projects, focusing oninspecting their progress annually.
GMS is a mechanism that looks toward action tomake itself a better region. To achieve this, the member countries needspecific action plans to strengthen multinational cooperation, he said.
Thailand’s Prime MinisterPrayut Chan-o-cha hoped the GMS countries will enhance cooperation anddevelop hi-tech human resources to meet the requirements of the fourth IndustrialRevolution as well as promote regional connectivity.
The GMS nations shouldstrongly engage in global supply chain, back small-and-medium-sizedenterprises, and increase people-to-people exchanges to build a sustainable subregion,he said.
At the session, theGMS leaders reviewed and ratified three key documents, namely the Joint Statementof the GMS-6, the Hanoi Action Plan 2018 – 2022, and the Regional InvestmentFramework 2022.-VNA
