VINACHEM

HCM CITY—Viet Nam is convinced that an outward-looking policy and quality of growth should be key elements of a new growth paradigm, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said yesterday at the 19th World Economic Forum on East Asia.

The country had therefore actively partaken in global, regional efforts and stepped up domestic reforms to facilitate the process of international integration and improve the quality of growth, he said at a meeting with young leaders and global companies.

While great strides had been taken on the development path in the world, including global trade liberalisation, information revolution and widespread cultural exchanges, the world still faced many challenges, Dung said.

"Tension, conflict and instability continue to threaten various regions. A truly free and fair global trade system is still beyond our reach.

"Non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, energy, food and financial security have not been effectively and thoroughly addressed. Poverty, epidemics, and illiteracy continue to weigh heavily on the shoulders of developing countries."

Rising challenges demanded new approaches, the Prime Minister said.

He said new responsibilities were being placed on the shoulders of young leaders and potential businesses, and expressed confidence that they would prove themselves up to the task.

"With extensive knowledge, dynamism of youth, creativity and passion, huge potentials and opportunities are opening before your very eyes. I trust you all will outstandingly fulfil your duties," Dung said.

He said his trust was based on the achievements and successes the youth had recorded in gaining the recognition of WEF as "representatives for a new generation of world leaders, as businesses with the potential to be a new drive for development."

He heaped high praise on young leaders and enterprises for their contributions to rapid growth, saying this proved that "you have, and will shape, create, pioneer, and inspire a brighter future for mankind."

The leader said he hoped that young leaders and potential businessmen would use their "creativity and daring to bring new and more effective approaches to solving global issues, become pioneers in promoting integration and global economic connectivity."

He also expressed his hope that they would share their experience, information and strategic vision with governments at all levels, and contribute to social prosperity.

"You are the pioneers of change. We, as leaders, will facilitate and promote the renovation," Dung said.

As the Chair of ASEAN, Viet Nam was facilitating the process of building an integrated community as well as the plan to connect ASEAN members with East Asia by rail, land, sea, air and telecommunication links, Dung told the meeting.

He noted that at the national level, "the recent crisis did not make Viet Nam simply support domestically-focused development, but rather spurred our country to continue to promote an open and quality economy, consistently implement measures to promote production and business, push exports, and stimulate investment and consumption."

Dung expressed great confidence in what Viet Nam can offer, including the advantages of a "golden population"; political stability;z an economy with constant, high growth; rich natural resources; a domestic market of more than 80 million people and a gateway to a regional market of more than 600 million people or even 2 billion people thanks to the establishment of the regional free trade areas between ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

He said Viet Nam needed the presence of dynamic youth, their professional and entrepreneurial skills that will supplement Viet Nam's strength and help the nation advance on its reform path.

"We hope that you will be part of Viet Nam's development. We also hope that Viet Nam's opportunities will be yours," Dung said.

(Source: VNS)