Vietnam’s efforts in promoting ASEAN cooperation applauded
Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Lim Jock Hoi lauded efforts by the Vietnamese Government and businesses in developing cooperation between the ASEAN member countries, while addressing a seminar in Hanoi on August 26.
Hanoi (VNA) – Secretary General ofthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Lim Jock Hoi lauded efforts bythe Vietnamese Government and businesses in developing cooperation between the ASEANmember countries, while addressing a seminar in Hanoi on August 26.
The seminar, jointly held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry, offers a chance for the ASEAN Secretariat andleaders to listen to initiatives and proposals aimed to help enterprises seize opportunitiesand study challenges, as well as coordination measures in the grouping, hesaid.
The official expressed his hope that negotiations of the Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP) agreement between the ASEAN and China, the Republicof Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand will be completed in 2019,towards the signing in 2020.
Connecting ASEAN leaders and businesses with partners will be the grouping’spriority in 2020, he said, suggesting Vietnam prove its leading role as ASEANChair in the year.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, who is also head of the ASEAN SeniorOfficials Meeting (SOM), said Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 will enablethe country to carry forward its role in initiatives and proposals in order topromote trade and economic ties in the bloc.
The seminar looks into bottlenecks facing the Vietnamese business community andmeasures to improve their competitiveness, thus integrating more deeply intoregional economic integration, he said.
Pham Hoang Hai, a representative of the Vietnam Business Council forSustainable Development, said Vietnamese firms lack information about ASEAN’sactivities, and Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship is expected to help improve thesituation.-VNA
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At the seminar (Photo: VNA) 
