(KPL/VNA) – Vietnam always attaches great importance to the role of the East - West Economic Corridor (EWEC) and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle Area, and prioritises the allocation of resources to promote cooperation in the area, Nguyen Van Trung, Vietnamese Consul General in Pakse, Champasak province of Laos, said at a trade, investment and tourism promotion forum in the Lao locality on April 10.

Trung noted that over the years, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand have conducted many joint cooperation programmes to boost the development of the East - West Economic Corridor and the CLV Development Triangle Area.

Besides, Vietnamese localities have actively invested in infrastructure facilities to strengthen transport, seaport and logistics connectivity with their peers in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, while fostering trade, investment and tourism links with the countries, Trung said at the event, which gathered leaders and businesses of 18 localities from the four countries.

At the forum, representatives of localities of the four countries highlighted their potential and strength in trade, investment and tourism, enabling them to build plans to implement cooperation content to suit the demands and strengths of each localities, thus contributing to promoting the development of the East - West Economic Corridor and the CLV Development Triangle Area.

Initiated in 1998, the East - West Economic Corridor is an economic development cooperation programme in the Mekong Sub-Region with a 1,450 km long road starting from Mawlamyine, Myanmar and ending in Da Nang city of Vietnam, connecting Myanmar and Vietnam via Thailand and Laos. The initiative aims to strengthen economic cooperation, promote trade, investment and development among member countries, while reducing transportation costs, facilitating goods traffic and supporting the growth of localities on the route.

Meanwhile, the CLV Development Triangle Area was established in 1999 with the purpose of implementing cooperation programmes in the border areas of the three countries across many fields such as traffic, telecommunications, energy, investment, trade, agriculture, tourism, health care, culture and education, contributing to promoting socio-economic development, reducing poverty and enhancing connectivity in the area./.

KPL