Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for Economic Affairs Nguyen Van Binh at the opening of the 22nd International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg (SPIEF–2018). (Photo: VNA)Moscow (VNA) – Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for Economic Affairs Nguyen Van Binh delivered a speech at the opening of the 22nd International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg (SPIEF–2018), Russia on May 24.
Binh said he was impressed with the hospitality and beauty of St. Petersburg and highly appreciated the Vietnam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
He moved on to talk about Vietnam’s economic potential, saying following growth in 2018, Vietnam’s economy expanded 7.38 percent in the first quarter of this year and the country has made efforts to improve trade balance with other countries and expand international trade and economic cooperation.
The global economy is facing a number of threats, including the rise of protectionism. In such context, Vietnam is committed to supporting free trade and global economic integration, the Vietnamese official said, adding that this forum is vital for Vietnam and other countries to step up international cooperation and sustainably develop the world economy.
On the first day of the forum, the Vietnamese delegation, led by Binh, had a meeting with leaders of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Gazprom, a large Russian producer of natural gas to review results of their cooperation and discuss the future of their partnership.
The second day of the event on May 25 is set to attract great attention as Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a keynote address at the plenary session. The Vietnamese delegation will also be busy with meetings with many partners today.
The SPIEF–2018 takes place from May 24-26. The forum drew an estimated of nearly 10,000 participants from Russia and other countries, including heads of state and government, politicians and corporate leaders. It aims to promote a constructive dialogue for policymakers, corporations and experts.
Events of the SPIEF-2018 focus on four key categories – “The Global Economy in an Era of Change,” “Harnessing Russia’s Growth Potential,” “Human Capital in the Digital Economy” and “Technology for Leadership.”
In 2017, the SPIEF drew more than 14,000 participants from 143 countries and saw some 400 investment agreements worth about 32.5 billion USD signed.-VNA
VNA
