The evolution of Chinese trade, investment, and consumption patterns offers opportunities and challenges to low-wage low-income countries, including China’s neighbors in the Mekong region. Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., Myanmar, and Vietnam (the CLMV) are heterogeneous, but they are all open economies that are highly integrated with China. Rebalancing in China may mean less of a role for commodity exports from the region, but at the same time, the CLMV’s low labor costs suggest that manufacturing assembly for export could take off as China becomes less competitive, and as China itself demands more consumption items.
Senior economic officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Việt Nam (CLMV) gathered in Hà Nội on Sunday for their 18th meeting, hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
The Mekong River Commission’s (MRC) State of Basin Report is a flagship product of the organisation and an integral part of the MRC’s strategic planning cycle. Compiled about every five years based on the facts and figures of the available data and information, the report assesses conditions within the basin and the impacts, both positive and negative, that development and use of the water and related natural resources are having. The report thus provides a comprehensive basis for the Member Countries and other key stakeholders to discuss and determine appropriate actions by which to realise the MRC’s aims for optimal and sustainable development of the basin as set out in the 1995 Mekong Agreement.
Study period 2017
The group of authors project ‘Assessing the Potential of Climate Smart Agriculture in Large Rice Field Models in Vietnam’, including co – editors: Dr. Dang Cong Thang (IPSARD), Dr. Dang Kim Khoi, Do Huy Thiep, Vu Thi Lan, Thai Van Tinh (Researcher from the Center for Agricultural Policy), Valerien Olivier Pede (Senior Economist – International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Philippines).
CLMV economy will continue its high growth at 6 - 7% in 2018 and maintain such a bright prospect in the coming years supported by exports, foreign direct investment, and tourism. In addition, rising income and rapid expansion of internet access is paving ways for a new business channel, e - Commerce. Despite its small size, e - Commerce market in CLMV shows a promising growth prospect and hence offers an attractive business opportunity. However, continued trade deficits, high external debt and political issues remain major risks to economic growth.
Currently, tremendous attention have been paid to the CLMV from global investors due to various factors such as abundant natural resources, plenty of low-cost labor, open trade policy, and the central location in the heart of ASEAN. As the competition in the global market intensifies due to slow global demand and a weak domestic economy, in order from the businesses to improve their competitiveness to gain from the opportunity in CLMV, EIC proposes 4 strategies 1) cost reduction, 2) value-added, 3) market seeking, and 4) opportunity seeking in related-business. However, the businesses should bring along their existing expertise to be able to compete with potential competitors from other countries. Besides, having a decent local business partner is another ingredient to smoothen the local business operation.
The study “Assessing risks of farmers and agricultural production in Vietnam”, was carried out by the authors: Tran Cong Thang, Dang Kim Khoi, Nguyen Thi An, Thai Van Tinh and Do Huy Thiep (Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (IPSARD).
This publication is a joint undertaking by the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (IPSARD) and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).