Mekong - U.S. Partnership: Advancing digital economy cooperation
WVR - The 11th 1.5 Track Policy Dialogue with the theme “Advancing Digital Economy Cooperation” under the Mekong – U.S. Partnership (MUSP) was held in Bangkok, Thailand, from August 13-15, 2025.
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| Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong, Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Academy, delivers the opening remarks. (Photo: WVR) |
This is the second time the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam has collaborated with the Stimson Center (U.S.) to organize the Policy Dialogue in the series of 1.5 Track Policy Dialogues under the Mekong – U.S. Partnership.
This dialogue was co-organized by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Stimson Center, and the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC).
The dialogue focused on the Digital Economy theme, with participation from government representatives, scholars, research institutes, and businesses from Mekong sub-region countries, ASEAN, and international partners. Experts and policymakers exchanged views, shared experiences, and discussed solutions to promote sustainable development in the region.
The dialogue spanned three days, featuring 3 plenary sessions, 8 thematic discussion sessions, and 1 summary session. Key topics included enhancing cooperation in the digital economy, promoting regional connectivity, developing e-commerce, establishing a common legal framework, and expanding collaboration among governments, scholars, and the private sector.
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| Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Faculty of International Economics, Diplomatic Academy (far left on stage) moderates the thematic discussion session. |
In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong, Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Academy and co-chair of the Dialogue, emphasized the importance of the digital economy for the sustainable development of countries in the Mekong region. He also affirmed the crucial role of MUSP in promoting sustainable development and regional cooperation.
The Vietnamese delegation actively contributed to the discussions. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Lecturer at the Faculty of International Economics and former Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy, moderated the session on Trade Facilitation. The discussion focused on creating a more open environment for trade in the region, promoting supply chain connectivity, and enhancing the competitiveness of Mekong countries.
Through the discussions, delegates shared a common understanding that digital transformation is not only an inevitable trend but also a strategic factor for breakthrough economic development, narrowing development gaps, and enhancing national positions in the Mekong sub-region. From this reality, delegates agreed on the need to further strengthen multilateral cooperation, focusing on building a safe and effective data-sharing mechanism, enhancing digital infrastructure connectivity to create a seamless digital space, promoting trade facilitation based on digital platforms, and jointly improving public governance capacity as well as developing high-quality digital human resources.
The dialogue provided a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to exchange experiences, contributing to building a common vision for digital economy development, promoting deeper cooperation, and enhancing connectivity within the framework of the Mekong - U.S. Partnership.
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| Delegates attending the Dialogue. (Photo: WVR) |
