Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue discussedproblems facing the ASEAN Economic Community with a delegation from theEconomic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) during a receptionin Hanoi on July 18.

The Deputy PM thankedERIA for coordinating with the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry to hold a seminarentitled “50 years of ASEAN: ASEAN Economic Community – opportunities forVietnamese enterprises” scheduled for July 19.

He wished that ERIA experts would share research resultswith the Vietnamese government, especially those regarding the ComprehensivePlan to build ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2025.

Mentioning the future of ASEAN and ASEAN Economic Community(AEC), Hue expressed concern about possible risks and conflict regardingexchange rates as the Community has no common currency and fiscal year. Hecited the unstable of some currencies in the community, and urged ERIA toresearch an appropriate orientation for the AEC in the matter. 

The Deputy PM also discussed the connectivity between ASEANand the East Asia, the role of Japan and several East Asian countries inconnecting Vietnam and East Asia as well as negotiations on the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Other issues of Vietnam’s concern included the emergingtrend of trade protection, trade facilitation, technical barriers, fraudprevention, among others.

ERIA President Hidetoshi Nishimura said ERIA will workclosely with the Vietnamese government, Foreign Ministry, ministries andagencies concerned to ensure that Vietnam will successfully assume the role ofASEAN Chair by 2020.

The delegation shared research results about ASEAN EconomicCommunity and Vietnam in particular, future orientations and challenges.

They lauded Vietnam for succeeding in administrative reformand improving private sector’s involvement in policy reform.-VNA