Leaders of APEC and ASEAN welcomed Vietnam’s initiative to host the APEC AND ASEAN Leaders’ Informal Dialogue and considered it a vivid testament of the will and determination of their respective members in reinforcing a comprehensively integrated and inter-connected Asia-Pacific for peace, stability, dynamism and prosperity.

President Tran Dai Quang and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Dialogue

On the occasion of the 25th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, the APEC and ASEAN Informal Dialogue, themed “Partnering for New Dynamism for a Comprehensively Connected and Integrated Asia-Pacific”, was held for the first time on November 10 in the central city of Da Nang. 

The Dialogue was chaired by Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Chair of the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, with the participation of the APEC and ASEAN Leaders.   

It aimed at providing fresh impetus to cooperation and integration in the Asia Pacific at a time when the region is at a critical juncture with profound changes. Apart from the challenges of slowing integration and the risks facing regional growth in the medium and long term, there are emerging positive trends that present the Asia-Pacific with significant opportunities, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

Inspired by a shared vision for a comprehensively connected and integrated Asia-Pacific, the APEC and ASEAN Leaders exchanged views on the urgent need and measures to strengthening cooperation and synergies between the two mechanisms in addressing common challenges and reinforcing a sustainable, transparent and highly-adaptable regional economic architecture. 

They highlighted various areas of potential cooperation, including trade and investment; promotion of physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity; supply chains connectivity, global value chains; globalisation of micro, small and medium enterprises, human resources development, and addressing climate change, among others. 

The two sides also provided updates on the implementation of the relevant regional economic integration initiatives, including the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

The Dialogue bears special significance as APEC will soon enter its fourth decade in less than two years and is preparing for a post-2020 vision while ASEAN is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and redoubling efforts to realise the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. 

Given the respective achievements of APEC and ASEAN in promoting regional integration over the past several decades, the two mechanisms are expected to continue to promote the Asia-Pacific's role as a driver of global growth and integration.-VNA