DAVOS — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc participated in activities on the sidelines of the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos City, Switzerland on Wednesday. 
During a meeting with his Austrian counterpart Christian Kern, Phúc asked Austria to recognise Việt Nam as a market economy, push forward the European Union (EU)’s approval of the Việt Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement, and back Việt Nam’s bid for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-21. 
The two PMs agreed to launch celebrations for the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and convene a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic and Trade Co-operation. 
In a working session with WEF President Klaus Schwab, the Vietnamese leader sought the WEF’s support to connect Việt Nam with leading corporations and experts, and consultations on policies on national competitiveness and high-tech agriculture. He also proposed the WEF continue to hold the WEF Mekong Conference. 
Praising Việt Nam’s development potential, Schwab wished to enhance co-operation with the country, especially in the form of public-private partnerships (PPP). 
Later, both sides witnessed the signing of a PPP agreement on economic development between Việt Nam and the WEF, under which, the latter will help connect Việt Nam with its top businesses, provide Việt Nam with policy consultation on economic restructuring, high-tech agriculture, national competitiveness and climate change, and receive Vietnamese cadres as apprentices at WEF units. 
Talking with President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tahehiko Nakao, Phúc asked the lender to assist Việt Nam in transport infrastructure upgrades, energy, administrative procedure simplification, and trade and investment facilitation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). 
He invited the ADB President and leaders to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum High-Level Week in the central city of Đà Nẵng this November and related meetings in Việt Nam. 
Nakao pledged to extend the provision of preferential credit for Việt Nam until 2019 and help the country launch projects within the framework of GMS co-operation. 
The two sides vowed to step up projects in infrastructure, climate change response, economic restructuring and poverty reduction and work with GMS member states to prepare for the sixth GMS Summit in Việt Nam. 
In a conversation with President of Microsoft Corporation Bradford Smith, Phúc urged Microsoft to continue doing business in Việt Nam, and invited him to attend the APEC Business Summit this November in Đà Nẵng. 
Microsoft wants to intensify ties with Việt Nam in network security, human resources training and software industry, according to Smith. 
WEF Davos 2017 focuses on promoting global economic growth, embracing inclusive growth, measures to take advantage of the fourth on-going industrial revolution, and shaping global co-operation orientations. 
The event gathers more than 3,000 participants, including those from governments, international and non-governmental organisations, along with entrepreneurs, scholars, and social activists. 
Established in 1971, the WEF is an independent international organisation committed to improving the state of the world by linking businesses, politicians, academics and other leaders of society. — VNS