Participants in the Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting will also discuss the progress of negotiations in various economic sectors.

Director-general of the Foreign Trade Policy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dr Laohoua Cheuching, on Monday (June 27) chaired the initial meeting and the 3rd Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam (CLMV) Senior Economic Officials Meeting.

The series of meetings, which Laos is hosting in its capacity as chair of Asean for 2016, will continue until July 2.

CLMV officials took the opportunity to scrutinise the master plan for CLMV development.

Monday’s initial meeting was part of preparations for the 48th Asean Economic Ministerial Meeting to be hosted by Laos in August.

Asean economic officials are strongly committed to promoting closer cooperation in fields such as trade, investment and services among community members and trade partners.

Laos is also eyeing wider markets with the aim of bolstering its participation in trade, services and investment.

Asean officials will also hold a consultation and discussion session with the bloc’s dialogue partners from Japan, Canada, South Korea, and India.