ASEAN business gets busy

The ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2010 (ASEAN BIS 2010) will be held from October 26-28, 2010 alongside the ASEAN Summit 17 in Hanoi's National Convention Centre, bringing together private and public sector organisations, government representatives and captains of industry from within and outside ASEAN.

With the theme "Towards the ASEAN Community: From Vision to Action", the event will also provide an interactive platform to advance industry and business in the region, as well as review and identify measures to promote ASEAN economic initiatives.

"The event will focus on improving the competitiveness of ASEAN's economy as a whole and that of the bloc's small- and medium-sized enterprises," said Doan Duy Khuong, vice chairman of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is organising the event in combination with ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC).

During the event, ASEAN leaders will report on the bloc's business situation so common solutions for countries' businesses to improve competitiveness and seek partners could be found, said Khuong, who is also chairman of the ASEAN BAC 2010.

The event is expected to coax nearly 1,000 enterprises from ASEAN member countries and dialogue partners, while Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will make an important speech there.

"Privately-owned companies like us feel proud to have a golden chance to participate in this event to directly meet ASEAN and non-ASEAN partners. The event will provide equal investment and commercial opportunities for all types of enterprises," said Dang Thi Hoang Yen, chairwoman of Tan Tao Group and ASEAN BIS 2010.

The event will also be home to ASEAN Business Awards, which is to honour outstanding and successful ASEAN enterprises that have contributed to the bloc's economic growth and prosperity.