Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended anddelivered a speech at the 2021 Global Trade in Services Summit via video in theevening of September 2, at the invitation of Chinese Party General Secretaryand President Xi Jinping.

Following is the full text of the remarks.

Comrade Xi Jinping, General-Secretary,Presidentof the People’s Republic of China,
Excellencies Leaders of Governments andinternational organizations,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, it is my great honor and pleasure todeliver my remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the 2021 Global Trade in ServicesSummit, under the theme of “Towards Digital Future and Service DrivenDevelopment.” At the outset, I wish to express my sincere thanks to Comrade Xi Jinping, General-Secretary, President of the People’sRepublic of China, for inviting me to this very meaningful Summit. On thisoccasion, on behalf of the Government of Vietnam, I would like to extend myheartfelt greetings, warm regards and best wishes to Excellencies Leaders anddistinguished delegates present.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are entering the 3rd decade of the 21st century, an era ofdigitalization with numerous intertwined opportunities and challenges. Ascountries are facing the collective impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climatechange, and depletion of natural resources, stronger international cooperationand effective application of digital technology are among the key solutions.This will create new drivers for economic growth and recovery, thus ensuringsustainable, inclusive, and comprehensive development. Moreover, stepping upcooperation in digitalization is a keycontributor to an environment of peace, stability, cooperation, and developmentamong countries and peoples across the world.

The remarkable achievements and soundinvestment in digital technology as seen in many countries, including China,have been truly impressive. Reality has shown that the development andapplication of science and technology have ushered in tremendous benefits. Theyhave enabled economies to transform their growth models, make better use ofavailable resources, and promote the flow of capital, goods, and services at anunprecedented scale and magnitude.

Vietnam has long been aware of the importance of digitalization. Accordingly, we have been accelerating digital transformation of theeconomy, and the development of digital economy and society. With that in mind, I wish to share with you the following points:

First, we should harness the opportunities presented bythe fight against Covid-19 to kickstart digitalization, with the focus on digital technology and digitaleconomy, in order to soon realize the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Vietnamlooks forward to the active and effective cooperation of the internationalcommunity to ensure that digitalization is truly a new method for narrowing notonly the development gap among countries, but also social inequalities. Such cooperation will also help ensure that people living inunderdeveloped or remote areas can enjoy equal access to services provided through digital platforms.

Second, it isnecessary to uphold the role of international agreements on digital technologyand digital economy. They would drive the development of these areas, whilesafeguarding the legitimate demands of countries in ensuring cyber security andsafety, and personal privacy, preventing monopoly and eliminating inequality intax obligations. In this spirit, Vietnam has participated in shaping new normspertaining to e-commerce in free trade agreements, most recently ones being theRegional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN - China FreeTrade Area (ACFTA). Vietnam welcomes China’s ideas and efforts in these areas,and stands ready to work with China and other countries to formulate anappropriate legal framework, with a view to promoting the healthy, rapid,suitable, extensive, effective and harmonious development of our digitaleconomies, for the common interest of the whole society.

Third, it is essential to strengthen cooperation in education and training of human resources, and bolster theconnectivity among the scientific and technological communities betweendifferent countries and regions. This would serve to improve digital literacyfor our businesses and people, and support workers, particularly those from disadvantaged groups, in gradually adapting to digital technology.

Fourth, we need to promote digital technology in facilitatingtrade, supporting the flow of goods and services, especially via multimodaltransportation, and the movement of people.

This would prevent the disruption of the supply chains, particularly as theCOVID-19 pandemic may persist. 

Fifth, we should bolster cooperation to enhance cross-borderdigital trade in a fair and mutually beneficial manner, thereby promotingexports, especially those of seasonal agricultural andaquacultural goods.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As an ASEAN member with robust economic growth, Vietnam has a networkof 17 Free Trade Agreements with over 60 partners, a domestic market of around100 million people, the majority of which is made up of young people, and aninnovation-driven mindset that is highly responsive to digital technologies.Taken all together, Vietnam has vast untapped potential in developing itsdigital economy. Currently, nearly 70 percent of Vietnamese people areInternet users, and Vietnam is among the fastest growing countries in terms ofdigital evolution momentum. 

Vietnam hopes that cooperation in the development of digital economies will begiven due priority and become a core focus in its relationswith other countries, and in its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership withChina. At present, China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner, while Vietnam isChina’s 5th largest trading partner in the world, and the largestwithin ASEAN. Vietnam attaches great importance to cooperation with China andother countries in trade in services and digital economy development. Togetherwe will ensure that such ties would be more open, inclusive, sustainable, fairand humanistic, on the basis of mutual respect and interest. Such concerted efforts would be a meaningful contributor to thedevelopment of each country, and bring about substantial benefits to the region and beyond.

May the 2021 Global Trade in Services Summit be a resounding success!
I wish you all good health, happiness and greater success.

Thank you./.