Gyeongju (VNA) - Vietnamese officials put forward several directions to foster innovation and shared prosperity at the 36th APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM 36) held on October 30 within the framework of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Regarding connectivity, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien highlighted key measures to ensure free, open, sustainable, and inclusive trade and investment across the Asia-Pacific.
Dien called on APEC members to enhance cooperation, share experiences, and provide technical support to build AI capacity, especially in workforce training, labour market connectivity, and ensuring public access to free or low-cost AI tools. He also urged stronger cooperation in investment, green finance, and technology transfer, along with greater support for developing economies in applying digital and AI technologies to supply chain management to ensure smooth and seamless regional trade flows. He called for the active promotion of WTO reform, particularly in dispute settlement mechanism, to improve the organisation’s operational effectiveness.
He announced that Vietnam has ratified the first phase of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and will participate in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). He emphasised the Southeast Asian nation's commitment to actively supporting and contributing to collective efforts aimed at strengthening a fair, sustainable, and inclusive multilateral trading system.
For innovation and prosperity, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang outlined key orientations for APEC to advance innovation and foster shared prosperity throughout the region.
She proposed developing a regional cooperation framework on emerging technologies to ensure that AI and digital innovations serve people and drive inclusive growth. Strengthening cooperation on labour mobility, human resources development, and sharing experiences in addressing population ageing, and enhancing digital capabilities will enable all generations to benefit from the digital economy, she said.
Hang also called for stronger cross-border cooperation in creative industries to unlock the full potential of individuals and communities, investment in innovation ecosystems, and support for startups and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). She also highlighted the advantages of the mobility of creative professionals, turning innovation and culture into key motivations for economic growth, job creation, and promoting mutual understanding in the region.
Vietnam’s proposals received appreciation from other delegates at the event and were reflected in the meeting’s documents and declaration.
Participating ministers conducted a comprehensive review of APEC’s 2025 cooperation progress, particularly efforts to realise the APEC Vision 2040, and discussed ways to strengthen APEC’s role across its three key pillars – Connectivity, Innovation, and Prosperity.
Sharing a common view of the WTO’s crucial role in promoting global trade, the ministers reaffirmed that its commitments and rules form an essential part of the global trading system. They praised the ongoing efforts to advance discussions on contemporary trade issues, and agreed on the need to strengthen economic integration and support members in joining high-quality trade agreements, moving toward the realisation of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).
The meeting called for stronger connectivity, structural reforms, and the removal of bottlenecks to build safe, resilient, sustainable, and open supply chains. Delegates also touched upon solutions to harness opportunities from digital transformation, science and technology - particularly AI - to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and growth quality, while minimising development risks.
The participants agreed to strengthen cooperation and coordinated action to address challenges that directly impact inclusive and sustainable growth. They also called for accelerated implementation of APEC’s action plans and cooperation programmes in key areas like climate change response, disaster risk mitigation, and development of a sustainable maritime economy.
On this occasion, the ministers presented the 2025 APEC Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Award to winners. A Vietnamese representative was honoured in the “Youth” category for recycling biological waste into eco-friendly ink products.
The AMM 36 was a key event of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week, serving as a preparatory session for the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for October 31-November 1./.
