On March 30, 2008, the GMS Business and Investment Dialogue (BID) opened in Vientiane, capital of Laos. The Dialogue was attended by top leaders of the GMS countries including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda. Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh hosted the Dialogue.

The Dialogue participants discussed a wide range of topics such as the trade and investment in the GMS, the implementation of the GMS Cross-Border Transport Agreement and the expansion of exports by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The representatives from the GMS Business Forum shared their views and raised their recommendations concerning the above-mentioned topics. The leaders all indicated that the business community played an important role in advancing the development the region. The governments attach importance to the suggestions and recommendations put forward by the business community. The governments will look into them and take effective measures to create favorable conditions for the enterprises to participate in the sub-regional cooperation and boost the economic development of the GMS.

Premier Wen pointed out in his speech that the Chinese government always attaches great importance to trade and investment facilitation. To improve the trade environment and propel the fast yet steady growth of trade in the GMS, China has funded the construction of the section of Kunming to Bangkok Road in Laos and the cross-Mekong bridge and granted zero-tariff treatment to some commodities exported from the GMS countries. China also pledged to increase the number of trainees within the GMS cooperation framework to 1000 person times in the coming three years.

To facilitate the implementation of the GMS Cross-Board Transport Agreement, Premier Wen proposed the inclusion of well-conditioned routes and stations into the Agreement at the right time, the establishment of an effective interface mechanism to improve efficiency in customer clearance, and the improvement of infrastructure and standardization in ports to improve their customer clearance ability.

Wen said that expanding the exports by SMEs is of great importance to advancing the economic growth of GMS countries; therefore the countries should consider providing effective financing, guarantee and credit services to support SMEs. The Chinese government encourages the Chinese SMEs to participate in the economic development of other countries and work with the enterprises of other countries in the form of joint venture and joint operation so as to achieve win-win results.

Wen stressed that the business community is an important force driving the cooperation in the GMS. He hoped that the enterprises and chambers of commerce of the GMS countries can establish closer cooperative ties and the exchange and dialogue between government and business leaders can carry on and make great contributions to advancing the development of the GMS.

On the same day, Premier Wen also attended the dialogue between leaders and youth representatives from the six GMS countries. Premier Wen, together with other leaders, visited the ecological tourism exhibition, environmental projects exhibition and youth photo exhibition.