CLMV's economic growth has consistently been high in the region, forecast to reach 4.6% in 2024 and 4.7% in 2025. The total two-way trade turnover of the four countries reached over 769 billion USD, contributing 21.8% of ASEAN's total trade value.

Heads of Government/Heads of Delegations of CLMV countries and ASEAN Secretary General attend the conference. Photo: Nhat Bac

CLMV leaders affirmed their common aspiration to build a peaceful and prosperous sub-region and realize the goal of becoming upper-middle-income countries by 2030. Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the world is witnessing profound and epochal changes, opening up unprecedented development opportunities for the four countries, opportunities of the era of connectivity and innovation. This is the golden time to create a breakthrough for CLMV cooperation to catch up, move forward and rise up.

The Prime Minister said that Vietnam maintains the CLMV scholarship program to receive students from other countries to study and research in Vietnam. This program was initiated and sponsored by Vietnam since the 4th CLMV Summit in November 2008. Photo: Nhat Bac

In that spirit, the Prime Minister proposed the “3 together” motto for CLMV cooperation. Together determined to build an increasingly effective and practical CLMV cooperation mechanism towards a developed, self-reliant and highly competitive CLMV economic region; economies with an upper middle income by 2030. Together coordinate to promote new areas of cooperation that are highly feasible, in line with new trends and effectively complement other mechanisms, especially ACMECS and GMS. The Prime Minister suggested that CLMV should focus on building a comprehensive strategy for CLMV human resource development, combining the training of intellectuals with skilled workers. Together, mobilize the participation and contributions of the business community and development partners in the design and implementation of CLMV cooperation projects and programs, especially in new areas such as digital transformation, green transformation, smart agriculture, and climate change response. The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to CLMV cooperation and will continue to do its utmost to further deepen the traditional friendship, friendly neighborliness, and mutual benefit, so that the four countries can catch up, progress together, and rise up in the new era of development. Vietnam contributes 10 million USD to the ACMECS Development Fund This afternoon, the 10th Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS) took place with the theme "Towards seamless connectivity for an integrated Mekong sub-region".

Heads of Government/Heads of Delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam attend the conference. Photo: Nhat Bac

The leaders emphasized the important contributions of ACMECS cooperation to socio-economic development and improving the lives of people in the Mekong sub-region. The leaders welcomed important steps in implementing the ACMECS Master Plan for the 2019-2023 period, especially in trade-investment cooperation, tourism, support for small and medium enterprises, and human resource development. The content of Mekong water resources cooperation was highlighted at the conference. The leaders of the five countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in sustainable management of transboundary water resources, especially in coordination with the Mekong River Commission; sharing hydrological data; and building an early warning system for natural disasters. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the central role of ACMECS in Mekong sub-regional cooperation, as an indispensable component of the ASEAN Community, a gateway connecting ASEAN with Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and a bridge between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Vietnam continues to actively, proactively and creatively participate in the ACMECS development process, striving to build "a strong ACMECS for an ASEAN of solidarity, unity in diversity and equitable development".

Prime Minister: The world is entering an era of innovation, opening up new opportunities that are crucial to the development of each country as well as the entire sub-region. Photo: Nhat Bac

ACMECS cooperation in the coming period needs to converge on the spirit of "5 commons": common aspiration, common vision, common determination, common voice and common action. With such a view, the Prime Minister proposed 5 contents for ACMECS cooperation to make a breakthrough. First, thinking and action are linked, ensuring smoothness from strategy building to practical implementation. The Prime Minister announced that Vietnam will contribute 10 million USD to the ACMECS Development Fund. Second, tradition and modernity are linked, ensuring synchronous and harmonious development between traditional economic sectors and new and modern technology sectors. Third, rapid and sustainable growth with a focus on promoting green transformation, building a circular economy and a sharing economy. Fourth, the country is linked regionally and internationally, and needs to facilitate the circulation of goods, services and travel of people between the 5 countries... Fifth, connecting the Government with the people and businesses. Sixth, linking development with maintaining stability and ensuring security.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/thu-tuong-cambodia-lao-myanmar-viet-nam-hop-tac-vuon-len-trong-ky-nguyen-moi-2339811.html