Justin Wood, Head of Asia-Pacific, Member of the WEF Executive Committee told reporters on September 6 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has made a thorough preparation for the World Economic Forum on theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (WEF ASEAN) slated for September11-13 in Hanoi, a WEF representative has said.
“Vietnam has worked closely with the WEF tomake sure the best preparation for the upcoming WEF ASEAN 2018,” Justin Wood,Head of Asia-Pacific, Member of the WEF Executive Committee told a pressconference on September 6 in Hanoi. “The thorough and active preparation isreflected in the strong representation of delegates, particularly regionalgovernments and State leaders,” he said.
The forum is expected to welcome thepresence of leaders of governments and businesses from ASEAN members.
Among the delegates are the prime ministersof Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, the presidents ofIndonesia and the Philippines, and Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The event will also see attendance ofleaders of international organisations, and senior officials and entrepreneursfrom non-ASEAN countries such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India.
Their presence at the event shows thecommitment to make ASEAN one of the world’s bright spots for economic growth asthe Fourth Industrial Revolution expands in economic scope and impact, and thegeopolitical environment around them changes rapidly, Wood said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Justin Wood, Head of Asia-Pacific, Member of the WEF Executive Committee at the press conference (Photo: VNA)During the event, Deputy Foreign MinisterBui Thanh Son, head of the event's organising board said the forum's theme"ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution"has shown the common interest of the ASEAN as well as the world, since it isrelevant to the ASEAN's theme for 2018, a resilient and innovative ASEAN.
“The WEF on ASEAN 2018 is one of thebiggest diplomatic events in 2018,” Son said.
It provides platform for government andbusiness leaders to discuss and share policy ideas and initiatives for theregion’s key issues, especially in the face of the 4th industrialrevolution.
According to Son, around 1,000 delegatesfrom 43 countries and regions have registered to attend the WEF on ASEAN,focusing their discussions on five key topics, namely defining new ASEAN visionon regional integration; seeking new business models and business governance indigital age; seeking new driving forces and business models for ASEAN states inindustry 4.0; enterprises and new approaches to global and regional leadership;and smart infrastructure development, capacity training, startups, innovationsin industry 4.0.
In 2010, Vietnam hosted the World EconomicForum on East Asia for the first time and over the past eight years, Vietnamhas obtained remarkable economic achievements, including the GDP per capitarising from 1,160 USD in 2010 to 2,385 USD in 2017.
The WEF was established in 1971 as anon-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva. The forum engagespolitical, business, and other leaders to shape global, regional, and industryagendas.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups together Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. –VNA
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