HÀ NỘI Senior economic officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Việt Nam (CLMV) gathered in Hà Nội on Sunday for their 18th meeting, hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
The meeting was part of the economic co-operation mechanism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020.
The biannual event focused on plans to realise the outcomes of the 11th CLMV Economic Ministers’ Meeting that took place in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 5, 2019; the implementation of the 2019-20 CLMV action plan; and necessary procedures for the submission of the CLMV development framework.
The officials also discussed with the ASEAN Secretariat the deployment of a plan regarding the third phase of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (AIA), and other relevant areas.
They suggested the ASEAN Secretariat continued to support the four countries in connecting with their development partners, and mapping out a plan to implement the CLMV development framework after it was approved at the CLMV Summit.
The CLMV development framework provided strategic orientations for economic collaboration between the four countries, and was the first of its kind to be formed since the establishment of the CLMV co-operation mechanism, the Asian-African Market Department said.
The officials also reviewed the implementation of projects funded by development partners like Japan, India and Germany.
According to the department, the annual CLMV Economic Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting would approve annual action programmes and map out orientations for co-operation.
These action programmes focused on economy-trade, human resources and co-ordination mechanisms.
The CLMV Economic Ministers’ Meeting aimed to enhance economic, trade and investment ties between the four countries, step up regional integration, improve the role of the CLMV in regional and international production chains, and narrow the development gap between CLMV and other ASEAN member countries, the department said.

ASEAN Economic Community

The 10th Meeting of the Committee of the Whole (CoW) for the ASEAN Economic Community (CoW 10) was held in Hà Nội on Saturday by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Chaired by ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Aladdin Rillo, the meeting welcomed senior officials in security, economy, and culture and society, chairpeople of the ASEAN Economic Community’s specialised groups; and representatives of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.
According to the Multilateral Trade Policy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the CoW 10 focused on co-ordinating ASEAN’s activities relevant to the economy.
Participants also looked into the enhancement of intra-ASEAN connectivity and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the digitalisation of the ASEAN Economic Community, along with the priorities in certain fields such as trade, investment, services, consumer protection, intellectual property, the ASEAN single window, and quality standards.
They also discussed a platform to co-ordinate activities of the ASEAN Economic Community to promote the group's economic integration in a more effective manner.
At the meeting, Việt Nam, as ASEAN Chair in 2020, introduced and chaired talks on initiatives for the economy this year. These initiatives focused on promoting intra-ASEAN connectivity, enhancing partnerships for peace and sustainable development, and improving ASEAN’s adaptability and operational efficiency.
With 14 draft initiatives proposed since the start of the year, Việt Nam hopes to ensure that its 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship will push ahead with the formation of an economy community that plays a central role in regional and global co-operation frameworks. VNS