Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation leave Beijing, China, concluding their participation in the 3rd Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum from October 17-20. (Photo: Thong Nhat)

Amid global economic decline, increased protectionism, and signs of globalization slowing down, President Vo Van Thuong’s attendance at the Belt and Road Forum contributes to strengthening regional and global economic connectivity.

Strengthening regional and global economic cooperation and connectivity

President Thuong and leaders and representatives of 140 countries and international organizations discussed the drivers of economic recovery in each country and in the global economy – green transformation, digital transformation, digital innovation, modern agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprise development, and startups.

The President delivered a speech at a high-level discussion on the digital economy, where he clearly presented Vietnam's digital economic development orientation and proposed digital economy cooperation based on three pillars. First, a digital institution to develop appropriate regulations to ensure data smoothness, safety, and security and ensure national safety, security, and sovereignty. Second, digital infrastructure to improve the ability of countries to participate in the global digital economy. President Thuong called on international financial institutions and businesses to cooperate in infrastructure projects in Vietnam and other countries. Third, human resource cooperation to develop high quality human resources.

President Thuong's attendance and speech lent Vietnam's voice to regional and global cooperation and economic integration, promoted Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements, and informed the world of Vietnam's goals, perspectives, and development orientation. Vietnam’s aim is to attract international resources for national socio-economic development goals, green transformation, digital transformation, and people-centered growth, to raise the country’s position internationally.

Strengthen Vietnam-China relations

President Thuong's trip has strengthened political trust and bilateral relations between Vietnam and China. Meetings between President Thuong and key leaders of China affirmed the shared understanding on the part of senior leaders of the two Parties and countries of expanding high-level exchanges and contacts and strengthening the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

The two sides discussed measures to promote economic and trade relations which will set important cooperation directions for Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities to coordinate with Chinese partners.

At receptions for a number of Chinese corporate leaders, President Thuong called on them to continue to cooperate with Vietnamese agencies to build digital infrastructure and train human resources for Vietnam's digital economic development.

While attending the Belt and Road Forum, President Thuong had meetings with the leaders of several countries and international organizations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thonglun Sisoulith, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka. The meetings affirmed the close cooperation between Vietnam and its partners and efforts to build good future relations.

President Thuong's trip to Beijing was a great success on mutiple levels, affirming Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralization, diversification, and comprehensive, extensive, flexible, and effective international integration.