Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will lead a Vietnam delegation to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing from April 25 to 27 as China seeks to expand its influence in the regional and worldwide.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Photo: VNA
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A total of 37 foreign leaders are due to attend the forum, up from 29 at the first summit in May 2017, according to Reuters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani PM Imran Khan, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte and Cambodian PM Hun Sen are reported to attend the gathering.
The Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI for short, was announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013 and is aimed at rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with massive infrastructure spending in roads, railways and sea routes.
According to the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the country’s investment in BRI-related projects has totaled US$60 billion since 2013.
Italy has become the first G7 nation to join this initiative in March, a move that has been criticized by the United States.
Late President Tran Dai Quang represented Vietnam at the first BRI forum in May 2017. Vietnam has shown support for the initiative but has made no official statement whether it will join the Chinese mega project.
Besides attending the summit, PM Phuc is expected to meet with Chinese leaders to discuss ways to boost bilateral trade and economic ties.
China remains Vietnam’s largest trade partner and second-largest export market. Two-way trade increased 13.8% year-on-year to US$106.7 billion in 2018.
