PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (2nd right) and Professor Klaus Schwab, WEF Founder and Executive Chairman (2nd left), at the signing of an agreement on developing initiatives for plastic waste treatment. (Photo: Thong Nhat /VNA)

 Mr. Phuc received Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum and witnessed the signing of an agreement between the WEF and Vietnam on building a center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and a letter of intent on developing initiatives for plastic waste treatment.

Meeting with Dutch Queen Maxima who is the UN Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, PM Phuc said Vietnam is building a national strategy of inclusive finance to help realise its socio-economic development targets and UN sustainable development goals.

Speaking with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam, PM Phuc said Vietnam will create favourable conditions for large enterprises from Hong Kong to expand investment in Vietnam, especially in transport, infrastructure development, electronic spare parts, and the support industry.

Receiving Jyrki Katainen, Vice President of the European Commission, PM Phuc said that the EU is currently Vietnam’s fourth largest trade partner and second largest export market. He urged that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) be signed and ratified in the first quarter of this year to create new momentum for bilateral economic ties.

During talks with Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Angel Gurria, PM Phuc welcomed the organisation’s coordination with Vietnam to create a national review report and urged swift completion of the report in the interest of implementing Vietnam’s socio-economic development strategy until 2020 and building a development strategy until 2030.

Mr. Phuc also met leaders from leading multinational corporations like Siemens, Qualcomn, Google, JBIC, and Prudential.