Distinguished delegates,
On behalf of the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, I would like to extend my best wishes for good health, success and happiness to all ASEAN delegates.
It is a great pleasure for Vietnam to be the chairing country of 12th ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting (AFMM 12) Process in 2008. For the 2nd time taking this honor, Vienam hopes to contribute to the success of ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting process.
Vietnam is a developing country with the average economic growth rate at more than 8% per annum. As a country stretching more than 1,000 km of length with 330,000km2 of total area and having young population of 80 million people, Vietnam is becoming an attractive tourism and investment destination to international visitors and investors. The 12th ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting will be held in Da Nang - a peaceful city lying on the pretty Central Coast of Vietnam, where I do hope would give you a good chance to explore many interesting things in Vietnam.
My distinguished delegates,
The ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting has entered into the second decade of cooperation, solidarity and integration. This Finance Minister channel has made significant contribution to the development of the regional financial market with concrete cooperation initiatives. With the increasingly deeper and wider development of the market, opportunities for cooperation existing in parallel with underlying difficulties will pose many new directions for finance cooperation channel moving forward together on the way ahead. As the host country in 2008, we sincerely expect to receive your strong and continuous support for the success of the meeting and laying the firm foundation for the sustainable development of the region in the coming time.
We look forward to welcoming all delegates in Da Nang in April 2008.
Wishing you all a new year of good health, prosperity and happiness.