In this spirit, Vietnam is proactive with the ASEAN countries to discuss the measures in order to boost the highest priority for the building of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and the negotiation of the Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

 

Proactive and active in ASEAN’s integration is always Vietnam’s consistent policy.

Minister of Industry and Trade Vũ Huy Hoàng said it when answering about the result as well as the contribution Vietnam made at the 20th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat (AEM 20) held in Singapore on Fabruary 26 and 27, 2014.

Minister Vũ Huy Hoàng further said that at the AEM Retreat 20, Vietnam was proactive with the ASEAN countries to discuss the measures to boost the AEC building and negotiate the RCEP Agreement, especially complete and sign for timely implementation of the agreements and documents within the frame work of ASEAN and ASEAN+1, complete all the measures worked out in the roadmap of AEC building to the year 2015.

On the basis of a successful integration in terms of building the production establishments and the common market for the free movement of goods and services in the region in linkage with the global supply chains and value chains and for a solid foundation in integration with partners outside the block. ASEAN needs to narrow the development gaps, enhance the competitiveness of the ASEAN block as well as each of the ASEAN countries and considers the movement of capital and humans in the region, intensify the consensus and build the common voice in the regional and international forums so as to raise the ASEAN’s role and position.

Minister Vũ Huy Hoàng also had exchanges on the sideline of the AEM Retreat with the ASEAN ministers of Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand so as to discuss the measures to boost production and consumption, including export of farm produce relating to sustainable development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, not only in the ASEAN, but also other international forums.

Dealing with the results of the AEM Retreat 20, Minister Vũ Huy Hoàng said that the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ retreat is organized when the ASEAN economic ministers can have an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas about the situation of economic cooperation inside the ASEAN as well as between ASEAN and the partner countries.

As Minister Vũ Huy Hoàng said, the ministers reviewed the work done in carrying out the master plan for the building of AEC and affirmed the determination of building AEC in 2015. They unanimously agreed to reserve the priority to the RCEP negotiation to boost the process of economic integration in the East Asian region and the RCEP negotiation of ASEAN with India, the Republic of Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and China.

The meeting also expressed the ASEAN’s wish to boost the cooperation in trade and investment with partner countries of FTA agreement. The ministers exchanged the orientation of the ASEAN economic integration after 2015 and unanimously agreed that the cooperation and economic integration inside ASEAN through the building of AEC is the dynamic and effective process. And it will continue after 2015./.