The first APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM 1) in 2017 holds a significant meaning in reasserting APEC’s determination to boost cooperation for growth and connectivity in the Asian-Pacific region.

Nha Trang city in Khanh Hoa province

Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh was speaking at a regular press conference in Hanoi on February 9 to inform reporters about Vietnam’s external activities in the coming time.

He said the meeting is scheduled to take place in Nha Trang city of the south central coastal province of Khanh Hoa from February 18 to March 3.

Nearly 60 relevant meetings, dialogues and workshops will be held as part of SOM 1, focusing on the theme of APEC Year 2017 “Creating New Dynamism, Fostering A Shared Future”, he added.

Participants will put forth incentives to implement APEC priorities and activity orientations in 2017, the spokesperson said.

Close to 1,500 delegates from the member economies, international organisations, and businesses are expected to join the event, he added.

The APEC Finance Deputies’ Meeting and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting will also be organised in Nha  Trang from February 23-24, he said.

Logistics preparations for APEC 2017 launched

The Ministry of Public Security’s General Department of Logistics-Engineering held a ceremony in Hanoi on February 9 to launch tasks to prepare for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Year 2017. 

Speaking at the event, Director of the department Le Van Minh underscored the importance of logistics and technical capability to the safety of the APEC Year, thereby improving Vietnam’s global stature. 

Minh asked relevant units to work with public security forces and localities to ensure security and safety of APEC activities, firstly the first Senior Officials’ Meeting in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province, and report on equipment provision to the ministry’s leaders. 

A highlight of APEC Year 2017 is a High-level Week to be held in the central city of Da Nang with leaders of APEC member economies and nearly 10,000 delegates, businesses and reporters attending. 

About 200 activities, including 13 ministerial-level conferences will be held across Vietnamese cities and provinces as part of the year. 

Vietnam joined APEC in 1998, and hosted APEC 14 in 2006, which laid a foundation for Asia-Pacific free trade areas. 

Established in 1989, APEC now comprises 21 economies, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.

VNA