PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) meets with Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian PM Hun Sen. (Photo: VGP)

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc were kept busy with a series of meetings on the sidelines of the eighth Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 8) and ninth Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 9) in Bangkok, Thailand on June 16.

He began the day with a meeting over breakfast with his Lao and Cambodian counterparts Thongloun Sisoulith and Hun Sen.

They discussed measures to reinforce the three countries’ cooperation focusing on their projects on transport connectivity and human resources training.

PM Phuc pledged that Vietnam will support Laos and Cambodia in boosting their human resources capacity to narrow their development gap with other ASEAN member states and implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Later during the day, the Vietnamese PM held separated meetings with Myanmar President U Win Myint and Secretary General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Myanmar President U Win Myint. (Photo: VGP)

In his meeting with the Myanmar leader, both officials stressed that the elevation of bilateral relations to comprehensive cooperative partnership has opened a new chapter in their cooperation.

They agreed to continue implementing agreements reached during the visits made by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in August last year and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in last April.

PM Phuc suggested Myanmar create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses in Myanmar, particularly those operating in the fields of telecommunication, finance – banking, and real estate.

The leaders reached consensus on close collaboration within the cooperation framework of ASEAN, and other Mekong sub-region cooperation mechanisms like the ACMECS.

On the occasion, PM Phuc repeated an invitation to U Win Myint to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN in Hanoi in September and to soon pay an official visit to Vietnam.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and Secretary General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi. (Photo: VGP)

In the meeting with Secretary General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi, PM Phuc lauded the role of the ASEAN Secretariat in helping the CLMV group shorten the development gap with other members in the bloc.

He suggested the body include the CLMV mechanism in ASEAN’s cooperation mechanisms with its partners and international organisations.

PM Phuc also stressed the importance of human resources training for the CLMV.

In response, Lim Jock Hoi informed the Vietnamese PM that ASEAN will spend US$10 million on dozens of human resources training projects for CLMV countries.

He praised the responsibility and competency of Vietnamese officials working for the ASEAN Secretariat.

At the meeting, Lim Jock Hoi accepted PM Phuc’s invitation to attend the WEF on ASEAN in Hanoi.

Also on June 16, the Vietnamese PM received leaders of several Thai leading businesses, which are investing in Vietnam, including Thai Beverage Public Company Limited and Siam Cement Public Company Limited.

At the meetings, the Thai companies thanked the Vietnamese Government for its assistance to their operations in Vietnam and wished for further support to come.

Phuc said Vietnam welcomes Thai businesses and voiced his support for their partnerships with the Vietnamese peers in contribution to socio-economic development of both countries.

In June 16 afternoon, PM Phuc and his entourage left Bangkok for Hanoi, concluding the trip to attend the ACMECS 8 and CLMV 9.