(VOVWORLD) - Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh discussed lessons drawn from ASEAN’s experience as the region gains ground amid a precarious geo-economic environment, at a panel discussion as part of the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF-54) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the "Lessons from ASEAN" panel discussion. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA) |
Other keynote speakers were Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Philippine House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, and World Trade Organization Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The Vietnamese Prime Minister emphasized three important factors behind ASEAN’s current development gains. They are solidarity in diversity, promoting self-reliance of the bloc and each country, and pursuing inclusive and comprehensive development, taking people as the driving force of development.
According to the PM, each ASEAN member country on the one hand contributes to the common development of ASEAN, and on the other hand promotes their distinct potential, outstanding opportunities, competitive advantages and capabilities, while ensuring compliance with competition and the market law of supply and demand.
In his opinion, the process of shifting supply chains is an inevitable trend based on the competition law and the market law of supply and demand. Only when countries choose a win-win approach, respect their individual choice, and build trust based on sincerity, solidarity and balance of interests, can they maintain sustainable development.
With regard to digital transformation, Chinh affirmed that the digital economy needs to be associated with the green economy, with mutual support and interaction. This process must be implemented according to a roadmap and with steps appropriate to the capacity of each country, taking into account vulnerable groups in society. He reminded that rapid and sustainable development is a must, but it cannot be done by sacrificing social justice and security.
The Vietnamese Prime Minister affirmed that in the next 5-10 years ASEAN will be a united, unified bloc and the growth center of the world economy where all economies develop altogether without anyone being left behind.
Other speakers highly appreciated Vietnam’s responsible role in building ASEAN solidarity and settling regional and global issues. They concurred with the Vietnamese leader’s views on how to take advantage of opportunities and handle challenges in ASEAN’s integration and win-win cooperation process, as well as to maintain an objective and fair approach, and promote the bloc’s central role in contributing to globalization.