Vietnam to host 25th APEC Summit in 2017

The 21st APEC Summit in Bali, Indonesia, has approved Vietnam’s bid to host the 25th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2017, showing their trust in Vietnam’s rising position globally.

This is the second time Vietnam will host the event, following the first in 2006.

In his address at the Bali summit, President Truong Tan Sang noted the hosting demonstrates Vietnam’s resolve to realise its foreign policy of active international integration, its long-term vision for Asia and the Pacific, as well as its desire to make a responsible contribution to regional issues.

He laid a strong emphasis on the dynamic development of the Asia-Pacific region, describing it as the global growth locomotive that houses most strategic and leading trade-economic partners of Vietnam.

He said actively joining and responsibly contributing to ASEAN, APEC and other cooperation mechanisms have enabled Vietnam to create a stable and peaceful environment and make full use of international resources for national development.

The integration process has also brought practical benefits to Vietnamese localities, business communities and people.

By hosting the 25th APEC Summit in 2017, he said Vietnam has a valuable chance to introduce the international community to a new and dynamic nation with huge potential for development.

This is also a chance for Vietnamese people to promote friendship with international friends, and for partners, businesses, and regional and international organisations to deepen their understanding of Vietnam’s glorious history, a traditional culture imbued with national identity, and specialities of all localities across the country.

President Sang stressed with self-confidence and creativity Vietnam will stand firm on its path to comprehensive integration.

APEC connectivity framework    

Addressing an APEC working session on October 8, President Sang welcomed Indonesia’s APEC connectivity framework initiative, considering it the grouping’s first overall and long-term vision of connectivity to help attain the Bogor Goals and connect regional economies.

He proposed the APEC leaders assign relevant ministries to soon carry out the connectivity framework, with a focus on such practical areas as investment, infrastructure, transportation, information technology, labour, education, tourism, response to emergencies, and human resource development.

Sang also voiced his support for APEC’s long-term plan on development and investment in infrastructure, and proposed the plan should be put in place soon to optimise the involvement of the private sector in infrastructure development.

He said establishing connectivity networks is a long-term process, requiring the close coordination between economies and between cooperation mechanisms in the sub-regions, regions and inter-regions, citing the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity as an example.

He called on APEC to support ASEAN’s efforts to build a unified economic community by 2015, implement infrastructure projects, connect supply chains, facilitate trade, respond to global challenges and emergencies, maintain food security, and develop small- and medium-sized enterprises.

President Sang noted Vietnam prioritises strengthening linkages with other countries in the region, including within the Greater Mekong Subregion and the East-West Economic Corridor, so as to promote Southeast Asia’s potential and connect economies in the Asia-pacific region.

Vietnam active in 21st APEC Leaders’ Meeting

The Vietnamese delegation, led by President Truong Tan Sang, has worked closely with the host Indonesia and other ASEAN members to actively participate in and make remarkable contributions to the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting, said Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on October 8.

Minh made the remarks at an interview granted to the press following the conclusion of the two-day APEC Summit in Bali Island on October 8.

According to FM Minh, President Sang officially affirmed that Vietnam will host the 2017 APEC Leaders’ Meeting and the forum’s important activities – a decision received the strong support of APEC economic members, confirming international friends’ high appreciation to Vietnam’s role and prestige.

President Sang was invited to deliver an introductory speech at the first session on “APEC’s role in strengthening the multilateral trading system in the current global economic situation”, in which he proposed to create an impulse for economic connection and prioritise the implementation of Bogor Goal, and stressed the need to take action and show necessary flexibility so that the upcoming WTO Ministerial Meeting will achieve specific outcomes.

The FM further said that many APEC member economies spoke highly of Vietnam’s role as one of the major food producers and suppliers in the world, welcoming the country’s proposals which contribute to cooperation for sustainable development attached to equality.

Vietnam also suggested that cooperation in ensuring security in food, water resources and energy become a priority in APEC related mechanisms while strengthening cooperation in protecting water resources, emergency response and search and rescue at sea, said.

From its experience in implementing ASEAN connectivity, Vietnam asked for the acceleration of the implementation of new APEC orientation on connectivity and strengthening APEC collaboration with sub-region connection programmes, the FM noted.

The country also requested APEC to actively support the goal of building an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, collaborate in implementing ASEAN projects on infrastructure, supply chain connectivity and Mekong sub-region programmes designated to connect and narrow the development gaps, Minh added.

Regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) high-level meeting which was also held in Bali on October 8, the FM said that APEC member economies highly valued Vietnam’s efforts and contributions to the negotiation process and the meeting’s outcomes in a bid to conclude the negotiations as scheduled.

He further said that during his stay in Bali, President Sang had bilateral meetings with heads of state and leaders of APEC member economies, including P residents of Indonesia, China, Russia and Peru, Sultan of Brunei, Head of the US delegation, and the Prime Ministers of Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

The bilateral meetings achieved specific results, contributing to deepening Vietnam’s relations with APEC member economies and its partners in the region, Minh said.

The FM noted that leaders of Vietnam and other member economies agreed upon measures to realise and strengthen cooperation, especially their strategic partnership or comprehensive partnership.

Leaders of member economies and cooperation executives in their meetings with President Sang voiced their support and pledged to stand side by side with Vietnam in its efforts to restructure the economy and comprehensively integrate into international community, Minh said.

These member economies spoke highly of Vietnam’s positive and active contributions to joint efforts to maintain peace, stability and strengthen economic cooperation and linkages in the region and in the world while agreeing to enhance collaboration and mutual support at important multilateral forums, he added.

President Truong Tan Sang returned to Hanoi on October 8 after attending the 21st APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

Source: VNA/VOV