Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha met WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab (Photo: VGP)

The discussion with leaders of global enterprises was an event WEF held specifically for Vietnam at this year’s meeting. It attracted about 20 executives of WEF member businesses operating in such fields as energy, green technology, and finance - banking.

Opening the event, Ha underlined Vietnam’s development viewpoint that people are the centre, key player, goal, and momentum of sustainable development; the country will not pursue pure economic growth at the expense of social equality, progress or the environment; and it stays steadfast in implementing the strategic breakthroughs in infrastructure, regulations, and human resources.

He called on global business leaders to enhance cooperation with Vietnam to help the country create and maintain a stable macro-environment for development while actively and flexibly adapting to unpredictable changes, stabilise the macro-economy, and improve the economy’s resilience; build an independent and self-reliant economy with extensive, effective, and practical integration into the world; and increase the optimisation of new growth drivers, maximise domestic and international financial and technological resources through climate agreements, carry out green transition, shift to a circular and low-carbon economy with digital transformation, strongly develop science - technology and innovation, and build an innovation and startup ecosystem.

At a meeting with WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, Ha expressed his hope that WEF will continue bringing into play its pioneering role in promoting public-private partnership, shaping new cooperation ideas and models, and assisting developing countries, including Vietnam.
Ha asked WEF to cooperate with Vietnam during the building of a green, circular, and low-carbon economy via the National Innovation Centre.

Schwab praised Vietnam as a bright spot in economic recovery and growth amid global economic crisis.

Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha (L) and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at their meeting in Davos on January 17. (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

Also on Tuesday, the Vietnamese Deputy PM had a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.

They voiced their satisfaction of the new and comprehensive progress in relations between the two Parties and countries, especially since the official visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

They agreed that in the time ahead, Vietnam and China will coordinate to properly implement important common perceptions and agreements reached during the trip, unceasingly consolidate political trust and traditional friendship, enhance connectivity of their development strategies, and intensify practical cooperation in all fields.

Talking to US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, Ha affirmed that Vietnam considers climate change response as one of the strategic cooperation areas between the two countries.

Vietnam highly valued efforts by the US Government and Kerry to promote global efforts in response to climate change. It also appreciated the US and some development partners’ support for energy transition in Vietnam, he said.

The Deputy PM asked Kerry to promote the US and development partners’ transfer of renewable energy technology to Vietnam, provision of green loans at reasonable interest rates, sharing of governance experience, and assistance for improving the Mekong Delta’s resilience.

Kerry highlighted the two countries’ flourishing relations and spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts and determination to realize the commitments at COP26, boost energy transition, and build a low-carbon economy.

Meeting with Administrator of the UN Development Program (UNDP) Achim Steiner, Ha thanked UNDP for helping with Vietnam’s reconstruction and socio-economic development over the last nearly 50 years.

He called for continued policy consultation and technical cooperation with UNDP in the fields of Vietnam’s concern, including green transition, carbon neutralisation, and post-pandemic socio-economic recovery in a green and sustainable manner.

Vietnam is determined and will actively carry out the commitments at COP26, including achieving net zero emissions by 2050, he said, asking UNDP to continue giving advice so that the country can successfully implement the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) agreement, manage and efficiently use water resources, and strengthen the resilience and climate change response in the Mekong River basin.

Steiner highly valued Vietnam’s effective implementation of socio-economic programmes and policies on green transition and climate change response.

UNDP is proud to be a cooperation partner of Vietnam and ready to assist the country in priority areas, he added.