Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (centre) and the first lady join a photo session with other world leaders and their spouses at the 14th G20 Summit that opened in Osaka, Japan, on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

OSAKA – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc was in the thick of the action at the 14th G20 Summit that opened in Osaka, Japan yesterday, with his activities including a discussion on trade with US President Donald Trump.

Following a welcome ceremony in the morning, leaders of G20 members and guest countries had a discussion on the digital economy presided over by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 

The session adopted the Osaka statement on the digital economy, which stressed the huge potential and significance of the digital economy, and agreed to enhance international co-operation to develop the digital economy, optimise benefits brought about by the digital economy and emerging technologies, and ensure safety in the digital economy. 

During the first session, the leaders looked into global economic, trade and investment prospects. 

They generally agreed that although the global economy was stable, growth remained sluggish with substantial risks. 

The leaders said they would use policy tools to spur sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, consolidate trust and prevent risks.

Given the complex development of global trade tensions, leaders of many countries urged international co-operation and called for efforts to fight protectionism, promote economic, commercial and investment connectivity, reform the WTO, and consolidate the multilateral trade system. 

They also underlined the need to work together to better use resources for high-quality infrastructure development. 

Addressing a working session on innovation in the afternoon, PM Phúc said Việt Nam saw the digital economy as a major growth engine, and would issue a strategy on national digital transformation in late 2019. 

He welcomed Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's initiative on free data flows and suggested forming a global legal framework and regulations on data flows and management. 

Việt Nam and other countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are ready to work with the G20 to encourage innovation and optimise economic benefits brought by the digital economy, he said. 

Phúc also lauded the G20’s approach of people-centred artificial intelligence (AI) development, and proposed forming a global network of innovative centres, including those engaging in AI research and development, to increase the sharing of knowledge and new technologies, and help developing countries make use of opportunities created by innovations and AI. 

Later the same day, the Vietnamese politician and other leaders attended a banquet hosted by PM Abe. 

Meeting world leaders

PM Phúc met with world leaders on the sidelines of the ongoing G20 Summit. 

The leaders expressed their wish to enhance ties with Việt Nam and congratulated the country on winning a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for the 2020–21 tenure. 

They voiced support for Việt Nam in its role as ASEAN Chair 2020 and wished to bolster ties with the bloc. 

President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker congratulated Việt Nam and the EU on the upcoming signing of the European Union–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement and the EU–Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement in Hà Nội on June 30. 

PM Phúc and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to implement agreements already reached by leaders of the two countries and facilitate the exchange of high-level visits to deepen bilateral links. 

Meanwhile, US President Trump expressed support for energy co-operation and asked for balanced and mutually-beneficial trade ties. He welcomed the Vietnamese Government’s determination to fight trade fraud. 

Both sides mulled key co-operation areas, including trade and energy. In the near future, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US Department of Energy will soon sign a deal on energy co-operation and import of liquefied natural gas from the US. 

PM Phúc and Indian PM Narendra Modi agreed to deepen economic, trade, energy, national defence-security, education-training, cultural exchange, tourism ties and aviation connectivity, while Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said he hoped to promote ties with Việt Nam. 

General Director of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom committed to enhancing ties with Việt Nam and noted the country’s achievements in public healthcare. He hoped Việt Nam would share its experience at the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage scheduled for September in New York. 

The Vietnamese leader also had brief talks with the Presidents of France, Turkey and Argentina, and the Prime Ministers of Canada, Singapore and the Netherlands on ways to co-operation. — VNS