The forum opened this morning (June 6) in HCM City, chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The forum opened this morning (June 6) in HCM City, chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

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Foreign delegates at the WEF on East Asia 2010 in HCM City.

The event attracts 450 delegates, including the Prime Ministers of Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, WTO General Director Pascal Lamy, the Vice Secretary General of OECD, Economic Ministers of some countries, high-ranking officials of regional and international monetary institutions like the ADB, IMF, world leading groups and scholars.

With the theme “Rethinking Asia’s Leadership Agenda”, around 20 working sessions will be held to discuss issues of Asia, including the management of Asian economies, global risks, a green growth program and a future growth program. A series of sideline activities will also be held, such as banquets hosted by President Nguyen Minh Triet and HCM City officials, an exhibition to introduce businesses and the vision of Vietnam’s business community, a seminar on improving Vietnam’s competitiveness towards sustainable development and some publications in Vietnam.

After the opening session, PM Nguyen Tan Dung will participate in two discussion sessions, including the first plenary meeting entitled “How Will Asia Lead?” and “Making the Mekong: Regional Growth and Leadership”. He will also meet with young leaders and the Community of Global Growth Companies (CGC).

Twenty leading Vietnamese businesses will attend this forum, of which 12 are WEF members.

This is the first time Vietnam has organized such the event aimed at elevating the country’s status in the region, especially when it is chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It will also help boost Vietnam’s international economic integration when the world economy is showing signs of recovery from the global financial and economic crisis.

As many as 255 media workers from 92 local and foreign news agencies have registered to cover the event. Foreign news agencies make up one third of the total.

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