Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) and the Harvard professors at the reception. (Photo: VNA)

Phuc was speaking at a reception for Professor Davis Dapice, Senior Economist of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Vietnam Programme, and Professor Thomas Vallely, Director of the Vietnam Programme, in Hanoi on Thursday. As Vietnam is looking for measures to transform itself into a “new Asian economic tiger”, the PM hoped that experts will study and choose suitable themes for the VELP.

Professor Vallely lauded Vietnam’s sound economic growth in the region, saying that deep renovation will be the main theme of the VELP 2018. Vietnam should pay heed to the response to climate change in the Mekong Delta region and tackle urban issues and restructuring at credit institutions, he recommended, noting that promoting production of high added value rice is also an important priority for the country.