Monday, 31 March 2008

Vietnam supports GMS plan on trade-investment facilitation

March 31, 2008

Vietnam supports the building of a plan of action to accelerate the liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment among countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement at a forum on GMS business and investment, which was held on March 30 on the threshold of the third GMS Summit slated to open in Vientiane on March 31.

PM Dung appreciated the business circle’s recommendations regarding the harmonisation of policies and simplification of trade and investment procedures in order to reduce time and cost for business and trade activities in the region, thus facilitating the regional investment co-operation and improving the region’s competitiveness.

He suggested that regional countries take advantage of the regional road system and work to boost investment, trade, tourism and cultural exchange.

He also stressed the need of a policy to support and boost the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the region.

The same day, PM Dung attended a forum of GMS youth.

At the forum, PM Dung applauded the youth’s suggestions on the regional integration process. He especially appreciated their proposals that the leaders of the regional countries help young people contribute more to the development of the region through job creation and the preservation of the region’s cultural diversity.

PM Dung and his delegation arrived in Vientiane on March 30 for the third GMS Summit.
(VNA)

Prime Minister meets Lao leaders in Vientiane

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with President and the Prime Minister of Laos on March 30, after arriving in Vientiane to attend the third Greater Mekong Sub-region summit.

During their meetings, PM Dung and President Choumaly Saynhasone who is also General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh all expressed satisfaction at the recent fast-growing development of effective and practical relations in economy, trade and investment between the two nations.

They pledged to bring two-way trade revenues to US $1 billion by 2010, US $2 billion by 2015 and US $5 billion by 2020.

They agreed to speed up co-operation and investment projects in hydro-electricity, mining, industrial crops cultivation and trans-national transport.

PM Dung expressed strong belief in the great success of the GMS summit.

“The success will prove the increasing prestige of Laos in the regional and international arena,” emphasised the Vietnamese Government leader.

In reply, Lao leaders reiterated the nation’s policy of high respect to relations with Vietnam , considering it a strategic relationship on their path towards Socialism.

After their talks, PM Dung and his Lao counterpart, Bouasone Bouphavanh, witnessed the signing of several accords on hydro-power plant construction and insurance.

(VNA)

Vietnam agrees to speed up projects in Cambodia

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen have agreed to speed up the projects Vietnam has been carrying out in Cambodia .

At their meeting in Vientiane on March 30 on the eve of the third Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit, the two government leaders agreed to enhance the two countries’ co-operation to tap their potentials, particularly in the fields of oil and gas, electricity, mining, industrial crops and construction material in Cambodia.

The two PMs said they were determined to bring bilateral trade to US $2 billion by 2010.

They also appreciated the work of border demarcation and landmark plantation, pledging to make efforts to complete the work by 2012 as scheduled.

Regarding the co-operation between GMS countries, the two PMs agreed to tighten the co-ordination between the two countries and with other regional countries in dealing with related issues, including the use of the Mekong ’s water resource, with the aim of ensuring the harmony in interests of related countries and preventing negative effects on the general environment and the downstream countries.

PM Hun Sen accepted PM Dung’s invitation to pay an official visit to Vietnam in the near future.

(VNA)

Vietnam and China sign cross-border transport deal

Vietnam and China have agreed to include the Hanoi-Naning corridor and the Huu Nghi Quan border gate into the framework of a Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) agreement on cross-border transport.

The Memorandum of Understanding to this effect was signed in Vientiane, Laos, on March 30, in the presence of Vice President Lawrence Greenwood of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The GMS deal, which received technical support from the ADB, aims to facilitate the transport of cargos and passengers across the borders of six countries along the Mekong river, including Cambodia, China, Laos , Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

(VNA)

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