Vietnam plays an import role in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation in terms of its geographical position and economic potential as it is a gateway looking to the East Sea for the whole Mekong region and near international sea routes connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
(From left to right)Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda attend the third summit meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Vientiane, Laos, on March 31, 2008.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will lead a Vietnamese delegation to attend the third Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Summit will be held on March 30-31 in Vientiane, Laos, at the invitation of his Lao counterpart Bouasone Bouphavane.
The summit will draw the participation of Prime Ministers, government officials, entrepreneurs and young representatives from six GMS countries and the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
GMS countries’ leaders to sign joint statement for the first time
The GMS 3 summit under the theme “Enhancing Competitiveness Through Greater Connectivity” demonstrates the target set by GMS nations, which create infrastructure links including transport, energy, telecommunication and human resources with the aim of raising the competitive capability of each economy in the sub-region.
The summit will focus on six main topics, namely, enhancing transport links, facilitating trade and transport, boosting cooperation between the state run sectors and private sectors promoting GMS trade and investment and training human resources and increasing the competitive capability, cooperation and development of GMS. In addition, leaders of GMS nations will have dialogues with the GMS Youth Forum and meet with members from the GMS Business and Investment Forum.
On the occasion, they are expected to sign a joint statement and witness the signing of some cooperative agreements in the areas of transport, trade, electricity and information.
Vietnam plays a key role in GMS cooperation
The Mekong River Basin belonging to Vietnam’s territory, which accounts for 25 percent of its land area and 35 percent of the national population is of strategic significance to Vietnam. GMS cooperation framework will offer opportunities for Vietnam to make the best of its potential and take advantage of outside resources from regional countries and international donors to boost development.
The basic targets of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region Economic Cooperation Programme are in accordance with Vietnam’s socio-economic development orientations and policies (including poverty reduction, regional development and international integration). Therefore, Vietnam is actively participating in co-operation programmes and making full advantages and potential to develop economy and integrate deeply into the region and creating favourable conditions for regions and localities to develop, helping to foster friendly relationships with regional countries.
Vietnam plays an import role in the GMS cooperation in terms of its geographical position and economic potential as it is a gateway looking to the East Sea for the whole Mekong region and near international sea routes connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
Vietnam attended the third GMS with the aim of strengthening co-operation with regional countries and promoting sustainable development and improving socio-economic infrastructure in localities along GMS corridors such as the East-West Economic Corridor and the North-South Economic Corridor.
In additional multilateral activities, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts of GMS member countries and partners to discuss measures to foster relations with these countries as well as to discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern.
GMS targets, co-operative principles and mechanisms
GMS includes Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and two Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi.
Since the early 90s, co-operation, development and integration have become a common trend in promoting co-operation in the Mekong sub-region. Coordination, economic development, poverty reduction and environmental protection have been driving forces for the Mekong sub-region countries to find bilateral and multilateral co-operative mechanisms to resolve the common needs. Accordingly, the Greater Mekong Sub-Region Economic Cooperation Programme was initiated by the Asian Development Bank. In the initial period, GMS was comprised of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Chinese province of Yunnan. In 2004, the Chinese province of Guangxi joined the GMS.
GMS aims to promote economic growth, sustainable development, and poverty reduction and improve the living standards of people in the Mekong sub-region.
(Source: VOV)
(Theo website Nguyễn Tấn Dũng)
