Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh speaks at the ceremony introducing the APEC 2017 National Committee (Source: VNA) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister has signed decisions on establishing the National Secretariat and three sub-committees to coordinate the organisation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum hosted by Vietnam in 2017.
Under the decisions, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son serves as Head of the APEC 2017 National Secretariat and Chairman of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM).
His deputies are Nguyen Minh Vu from the Foreign Ministry, and Pham Quynh Mai from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The three sub-committees will be in charge of contents, communications and culture, and protocol.
According to the Deputy PM and FM, hosting the (APEC) forum in 2017 is a lynchpin in Vietnam’s foreign policy until 2020, reflecting the country’s dedication to the promotion of shared interests in APEC in an evolving regional landscape. The forum includes most of Vietnam’s strategic and leading economic and trade partners, who account for 78 percent of the country’s FDI, 79 percent of total foreign trade and 70 percent of incoming tourists.
Established in November 1989, APEC now comprises 21 economies, representing around 39 percent of the world’s population, 57 percent of total global GDP and 47 percent of international trade.
Since joining the forum in November 1998, Vietnam has made a number of significant contributions, including the successful organisation of APEC 2006 and the 6th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting in September 2014.-VNA
