Vietnam allows for foreign investment and is ready to create the best possible conditions for foreign businesses operating in Vietnam, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told leaders of the world’s leading economic groups who are attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

 

PM Dung was addressing more than 20 CEOs and general directors of the world’s leading groups in the fields of banking, finance, real estate, energy, construction, telecommunications, and health care, which have keen interest in Vietnam’s remarkable progress in cushioning the blow of the global economic crisis.

 

PM Dung pointed to facts and figures that prove Vietnam an attractive destination for foreign investors in the post-crisis period. In 2009, Vietnam obtained a high GDP growth rate compared to other countries in the region. Despite the impact of the global economic crisis, foreign investment in Vietnam still reached more than US$21 billion and international donors have committed themselves to providing more than US$8 billion in ODA to the country in 2010.

 

Even in difficult circumstances, Vietnam is poised to push through reform with the aim of creating an open environment for economic development, and improving the efficiency of investment projects in infrastructure, human resource training and technological development.

 

Mr Dung emphasised that Vietnam sees the global economic downturn as an opportunity to create drastic changes in the national economy.

 

Vietnam’s priority policy for economic development in 2010 will focus on ensuring long-term growth, renewing economic restructuring, using energy and natural resources sustainably improving the efficiency of public investment, building a fair and healthy competitive environment, combating corruption, reinforcing administrative reform, perfecting the market economy’s institutions, and fully implementing international commitments.

 

All businesses and investors are considered part of the Vietnamese economy when engaging in the Vietnamese market. Vietnam is capable of seizing all investment opportunities and is ready to create the best possible conditions for foreign businesses to run investment in the country, said Mr Dung.

 

The Vietnamese leader also responded directly to questions about experiences and solutions to cope with the crisis, stricter regulations on global financial management, measures to sharpen the competitiveness of the economy and combat corruption, Vietnam’s priority areas for development and foreign investment attraction, banking development, and Vietnam’s strategy for energy development.

 

PM Dung is scheduled to deliver a speech at the “Rebuilding long-term economic growth” forum.

 

(CPV)