In a recent interview granted to Vietnam News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem said the EWEC is one of the five economic corridors in the Greater Sub-Mekong Region (GMS), which was approved at the eighth GMS Ministerial Meeting in October 1998.

With funding from the Asian Development Bank and the Japanese Government, major transport infrastructure facilities lying along the corridor have been upgraded, including Tien Sa and Da Nang ports, Hai Van tunnel and National Highway No 9 inside Vietnam. Notably, the second international bridge spanning the Mekong River was open to traffic in late 2006, linking Thailand's seven northeastern provinces, Laos' Savannakhet province and Vietnam's three central provinces.

In addition to developing transport infrastructure facilities, relevant countries have coordinated closely in simplifying procedures, facilitating cross-border travel, enhancing cooperation in tourism and human resource development, and attracting investment for the sake of steady economic development and sustainable poverty reduction.

The western part of the corridor, which runs from Thailand to Myanmar, will be under construction soon to turn the EWEC into an inland corridor connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Once completed, the EWEC project will help millions of people living in the four countries escape poverty, narrow the development gap and strengthen linkages between the EWEC and other regions in Southeast Asia and the world.

The project will enable the four countries to better tap their natural resources and potential, and expand their markets. It will also help them expand external economic ties, promote trade, investment and tourism, and attract more foreign investment to the area through connections with international markets in East Asia.

"I believe that the EWEC will become the corridor of cooperation, friendship and mutual development of countries in the region," Mr Khiem said.

As located in the eastern part of the corridor, central Da Nang City, and the central provinces of Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue will have plenty of opportunity to develop the sea-borne economy, maritime transport and particularly tourism. Transport infrastructure facilities have been upgraded to link the four world Cultural Heritage Sites in the relevant countries on the initiative of “Three countries, One Destination”. That means visitors now can have breakfast in Thailand, lunch in Laos and enjoy sea bathing and dinner in central Vietnam. In addition, the three Vietnamese provinces will play an important role in promoting the regional economy through investment, trade and tourism expansion to facilitate human and goods exchanges among these countries.