Prime Minister: ASEAN cannot lack a team of self-reliant entrepreneurs

Speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ASEAN BIS) 2024, on the afternoon of October 8, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledged that the recent world situation is complicated, but the bloc is still self-reliant and resilient. sustainable and the epicenter of growth. This achievement has been contributed by regional businesses and entrepreneurs.

“Without a team of good entrepreneurs, the economy will stagnate and the country cannot prosper,” the Prime Minister said.

Commenting on the difficult world situation, he called on ASEAN businessmen to take the lead in promoting self-reliance and handling emerging issues. “A resilient ASEAN cannot lack a team of resilient entrepreneurs,” the Prime Minister said and hoped that businesses in the region and the government would work together to solve difficulties such as population aging, resource depletion, and climate change. .

To do so, the region’s business team needs to pioneer digital transformation, green transformation, to join governments in implementing the Netzero commitment by 2050. In particular, digital transformation has now reached every sector, family, and person. people. Therefore, businesses must pioneer in developing artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, Internet of Things…

Vietnamese Government leaders believe that there needs to be a pioneering connection between ASEAN economies, with people and businesses at the center. Soft connections include institution building, experience sharing, and policy priorities to promote growth. Hard connection is transportation infrastructure and digital infrastructure. “We cannot digitally transform without connection. I urge you to pioneer connection, taking people and businesses as the subjects,” Mr. Chinh said.

He called on each country to take the lead in building strategic infrastructure and connections between countries, in the spirit of “open mechanisms, smooth infrastructure, and smart governance”.

In addition, ASEAN businesses must pioneer innovation and start a business. In particular, innovation is the pillar that helps countries renew old growth drivers (consumption, investment, export) and promote new growth drivers such as the digital economy and knowledge economy. ..

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also said that ASEAN businesses and entrepreneurs need to pioneer integration within the bloc and the world, especially in the context that no country can solve global and all-people problems so that “no one can left behind”.

Citing experience from Vietnam, the Prime Minister said that despite difficulties in the integration process, Vietnam has created a healthy business environment, giving priority to improving and enhancing the strategic infrastructure system. High-tech industries, such as artificial intelligence (AI), information technology, semiconductor chip manufacturing and comprehensive digital transformation are being promoted in the integration process.

Currently, Vietnam is implementing three strategic breakthroughs: perfecting institutions; Developing strategic infrastructure systems and training human resources, especially high-quality human resources.

In 2023, the economic scale will reach 430 billion USD, ranking 34th among major economies and the group of 20 countries with the largest trade globally. Average income per capita reaches 4,300 USD. Vietnam has signed 16 new generation free trade agreements with more than 60 countries and territories. Therefore, the Prime Minister called on foreign businessmen and businesses, including those in the ASEAN region, to continue investing in Vietnam with the spirit of “listening, sharing and working together, winning together”.

ASEAN BIS is the largest annual business-related forum in Southeast Asia, held within the framework of the ASEAN Summit. This year’s forum was held in Vientiane, Laos from October 8 to 11, with the participation of 800 businesses. Regional business topics will be discussed at this conference, including digital transformation, sustainable development, food security, trade facilitation and investment.