Prime Minister back from WEF meeting in Switzerland

Davos (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived in Hanoi on January 21, concluding his visit to Davos, Switzerland to attend the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) from January 17-21 at the invitation of WEF President Klaus Schwab.

It was the first time the PM attended the meeting and also his first foreign trip this year.

Upon the arrival, he joined 40 successive activities, including delivering speeches at five sessions on regional and global issues; and holding high-level meetings with heads of state and Prime Ministers of seven countries, as well as leaders of major international organisations.

He also had 22 bilateral meetings and two dialogues with chief executive officers and leaders of WEF’s organisations as well as meeting with leading international news agencies.

At the meeting themed “Responsive and Responsible Leadership”, the PM presented speeches at the plenary and dialogue sessions revolving around the future of manufacturing from regional strategic perspective, ASEAN prospects after 50 years of formation and development, responsive and responsible leadership in a multi-polar world, strong governance in the fourth industrial revolution.

He called on countries to act responsibly for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region and the world, and lauded the role of multilateral organisations, especially the United Nations and ASEAN, in promoting common interests of the international community.

Highlighting opportunities and challenges brought about by the fourth industrial revolution to developing countries, including Vietnam, the PM stressed that his country is restructuring its economy, renewing growth model based on improving productivity and competitiveness, facilitating startups, innovation and creativity, and developing high-quality workforce.

At the plenary session on ASEAN’s role, he said member states need to work closely together to effectively implement the ASEAN Economic Community’s Vision 2025 roadmap, uphold internal cooperation and tap free trade agreements with partners to boost investment and trade in the region while ensuring regional security, peace and cooperation.

Vietnam has made important and responsible contributions to strengthening ASEAN solidarity and unanimity and worked with other member states to build a strong ASEAN Community, he said.

While in Davos, the PM met bilaterally with Swiss President Doris Leuthard, Austrian PM Christian Kern, PM Mark Rutte and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, during which they agreed to effectively implement bilateral collaboration mechanisms.

He also met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, Director General of the World Trade Organisation Roberto Azevedo, President of the Asian Development Bank Tahehiko Nakao, and Secretary General of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Angen Gurria.

The Vietnamese leader and WEF President Schwab witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between Vietnam and the WEF to develop Vietnam’s self-resilient economy in the future.

As part of the meeting, the PM also met key executives of 40 multinational corporations among the world’s top 500 such as Microsoft, Facebook, Alphabet (Google), Qualcom, Standard Chartered, Prudential, Alibaba, JETRO, Mitsubishi, UPS, Carlyle and Swiss Re. He held two thematic dialogues with the world’s leading firms operating in information technology and finance, and answered their questions.

He underlined Vietnam’s determination to build a transparent and constructive government in service of the people and businesses, adding that Vietnam strives to reach the average level of ASEAN top 4, consisting of Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, in terms of business environment, by 2017.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s development potential, corporate executives pledged to do long-term business and continue investing in the country, especially in IT and hi-tech agriculture.

The PM’s visit has conveyed a strong message about Vietnam’s policies, orientations and determination on comprehensive national reform and international integration for 2016-2020./.