The statement was made by Vice Chairman ofthe National Committee on APEC 2017 and Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Bui ThanhSon during a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency ahead of the APECEconomic Leaders’ Meeting slated for November in the central city of Da Nang.
Son said Vietnam’s membership of APEC hascontributed to the diversification and multilateralisation of internationalrelations and the deepening of Vietnam’s bilateral ties, thus strengthening apeaceful and cooperative environment favourable for the country’s development.Among Vietnam’s 25 strategic and comprehensive partners, 13 are APEC members.
The admission has also helped strengtheninternal power while boosting trade, investment and tourism with APEC partners.The bloc now accounts for 75 percent of trade, 78 percent of foreign directinvestment and 79 percent of total tourist arrivals in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s involvement in dealing with APEC’scommon concerns on economic growth and connectivity has improved its image as acountry of innovation, dynamism and integration, empowering the country in theregion and the world.
According to the Deputy FM, as host of theAPEC Year 2017, one of Vietnam’s successes is to promote consensus amongmembers on the theme and four priorities of APEC Year 2017 as well as upholdingcommitment to open trade and investment.
As the host country, Vietnam has pushed forwardresult-oriented collaboration among APEC members via building specific initiatives,focusing on fields that directly benefit the business community and the people,such as human resources development in the digital era, sustainable tourism, sustainablesmall- and medium-sized enterprises, urban and rural development, foodsecurity, start-up facilitation, and women in the economy.
Member economies also hailed Vietnam’sinitiative to promote inclusive economic, financial and social development andpreparations for building APEC’s future after 2020.
He added that Vietnam together with APECeconomies has generated new momentum for regional growth and connectivity byhelping micro and small enterprises tap opportunities in the fourth industrialrevolution, training workers in new skills to seek jobs in a digital era,ensuring food security amid climate change, and assisting women and vulnerablegroups in economic development.
Vietnam also contributed to updating thecontent of cooperation in a number of traditional fields this year in responseto latest developments, which helps improve APEC’s adaptability in a changing world,according to Deputy Minister Son.
With 2017 said to be one of the mostdifficult years for multilateral cooperation mechanisms and APEC is noexception, Vietnam has been able to effectively use principles of consensus, voluntary,non-binding, and mutually-beneficial cooperation to maintain the trend ofcooperation, connectivity, and reach consensus on partnerships in many sectors.
Activities hosted by Vietnam have madeimportant contributions to raising APEC’s role and position in the evolvingregional architecture, he said.-VNA