Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên at the 15th Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar - Việt Nam Economic Ministers' Meeting in Semarang City, Indonesia on August 18. VNA photo

JAKARTA – A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên attended the 15th Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar - Việt Nam Economic Ministers' Meeting (CLMV EMM 15) in Semarang City, Indonesia on August 18.

The event was part of the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM 55) and related meetings from August 17-22.

Speaking at the event, Minister Diên thanked Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar for actively joining activities hosted by Việt Nam during 2022 and the past months of 2023, including the Vietnam Expo, the Vietnam Foodexpo, fairs held in Laos and Cambodia, and scholarships granted by Việt Nam.

Regarding the CLMV Action Plan for the 2023-2024 period, the Vietnamese delegation committed further support to stalls of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar at major international fairs and exhibitions organised by Việt Nam. Diên said scholarship programmes for students from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar would also continue.

The Vietnamese side proposed that the CLMV countries enhance cooperation to facilitate trade, remove barriers to lift trade volume among regional countries. They were urged to offer mutual support to effectively implement the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) of which they are members, contributing to strengthening regional supply chains and supporting the development of the business community.

Delegates at the event discussed reports on the economic, trade, and investment situations of the four countries, the completion of the CLMV Action Plan for the 2021-2022 period, the progress of the CLMV Action Plan for the 2023-2024 period, as well as updates on the implementation of the Action Plan for the CLMV Development Framework and a project regarding the workshop on the socialisation of the implementation of the Action Plan for CLMV Development Framework, and other important issues.

A joint statement was also adopted at the event.

Initiated by Việt Nam, the CLMV EMM mechanism was established in August 2010 with an aim to further nurture economic and trade relations among the CLMV countries, and closer coordination at regional, sub-regional, and international forums; fully leverage the potential of each country, narrow the development gap between the four CLMV nations and the rest of the ASEAN region and the world; and expedite the implementation of agreements reached at the CLMV Summits. VNA/VNS