Khiem said the Vietnamese government had been active and flexible in coping with the global economic slowdown while boosting reforms and pushing international integration to lay the foundation for long-term growth.

But he also acknowledged that Vietnam’s poor competitiveness, substandard investment environment, imperfect economy and inadequate infrastructure had made the recession difficult to deal with.

Representatives from The Economist Group, HSBC and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the Vietnamese government’s policies proved its determination to continue reforms despite the global crisis.

Many praised the government’s curbing of inflation, which has lessened the effect of the economic slowdown.

Representatives suggested that the government reform the financial sector and continue reforms in general to make Vietnam an even more attractive destination for international investors.

Reported by Huong Giang