A high-level meeting on trade, investment, tourism, connection and integration promotion among five localities of Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand on the East - West Economic Corridor (EWEC) took place in Sekong Province of Laos on Tuesday.

Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Le Trung Chinh speaking at the meeting. PHOTO: S. TRUNG

Speaking at the meeting, Da Nang People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh spoke highly of the effective exploitation of the potential and advantages of each locality on EWEC 2, thereby contributing to promoting the local socio-economic development, connecting world cultural heritages, facilitating access to local land and human resources, boosting the development of transnational tourism, and enhancing competitiveness.

However, there have been still many limitations. In particular, traffic infrastructure has been not synchronised. Trade and goods exchange activities between localities have not been vibrant. Tourism has yet to prosper. Road transport costs have remained high. Administrative procedures between countries have been inconsistent and cumbersome. The coordination mechanism between localities across the entire route still has had shortcomings.

Leaders of Quang Nam and Da Nang (Viet Nam), Sekong and Champasak (Laos) and Ubon Ratchathani (Thailand) attended the meeting. PHOTO: S.TRUNG

Chairman Chinh proposed some solutions in order to maximize the effectiveness of the role of EWEC 2 in the coming time.

Accordingly, he stressed the need for localities along EWEC 2 to improve road traffic infrastructure, especially National Highway 14D, and propose to governments of countries to reach a consensus on applying administrative procedures, customs, fees and charges through border gates to save costs and time for transporting goods.

Mr. Chinh affirmed that Da Nang will make efforts to call for investment and build modern logistics system infrastructure to reduce costs, and improve the competitiveness of goods on the EWEC route.

Besides, the city will lay an emphasis on strengthening investment promotion activities in the logistics field, connecting investment to the south central provinces of Laos, and expanding the scope of attracting goods sources for the central highlands and EWEC 2.

Da Nang will research and build an information network system providing logistics services for businesses in the city and localities on EWEC to support businesses in looking up related administrative procedures, tax rates, import-export procedures, the city leader noted.

He asked Lao localities to research and propose attractive preferential mechanisms and policies to attract more Vietnamese businesses to invest in various fields. He also requested Lao businesses to increase the exchange of goods and supply of raw materials and agricultural products to Viet Nam.

He hoped that more programmes and activities to promote investment, trade and tourism cooperation between Da Nang and Ubon Ratchathani Province will be he;d in the coming time.

Leaders of the 5 localities attended the opening of the Sekong Province Goods Exhibition right after the meeting. PHOTO: S. TRUNG

Chairman Chinh underlined a must-do for localities to promote the development of cross-border tourism and strengthen the connection of tourist destinations on the route.

Travel agencies need to proactively advertise destinations, build tourist routes, especially in the fields of eco-tourism, resort, cultural, historical and community-based tourism because the Southern Laos region plays a role in connecting key tourist areas of Thua Thien Hue - Da Nang - Quang Nam with the northeastern region of Thailand through Ubon Ratchathani Province.

Importance will be attached to regularly organising trade promotion activities and trade connections between localities on the route.

"Da Nang will continue to actively coordinate with Quang Nam Province to organise trade and investment promotion and connection missions in the South Central provinces of Laos and Ubon Rachathani province of Thailand to  create more stable and sustainable goods from markets through Da Nang seaport", Chairman Chinh emphasised.

Reporting by SON TRUNG - Translating by M.DUNG