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Da Nang newspaper reported that after its admission to APEC, Vietnam has joined diverse cooperation programs and projects in APEC while receiving great support in terms of capital, technology and human resources training. In 2006, for the first time, Vietnam hosted the 14
th APEC and in 2014, Vietnam successfully organized the 6th APEC Human Resource Development Ministers Meeting in Hanoi.
Vietnam is one member economy actively proposing and joining new initiatives, including over 100 projects in diverse areas, including trade, investment, economic and technological cooperation, healthcare and food security. In 2016, Vietnam participated in developing long-term cooperation orientations in APEC, reflecting its active contribution to multilateral mechanisms as set in the 12th National Party Congress resolution.
During the first Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM 1) and Related Meetings APEC 2017 held in March in Khanh Hoa province’s Nha Trang city, Mr. Salman Al Farisi, a senior expert from Indonesia, said that Vietnam had much experience in boosting economic development, thus making diverse practical contributions to cooperation programs among APEC.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Lee Taeho appreciated Vietnam’s coordination in preparing working programs of APEC Year 2017. Vietnam’s priorities, including promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth, were assessed to suit the APEC agenda.
APEC continues to be Vietnam’s leading cooperation forum in the period of increased international integration. In his opening speech at the 23rd Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting in May, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that APEC played a more and more important role with Vietnam. At present, APEC members contribute 78% of foreign direct investment into Vietnam, 75% of goods commerce and 79% of international tourists to Vietnam, while some 80% of overseas Vietnamese students are studying at APEC member economies. The Vietnamese Prime Minister also noted that 13 APEC members had set up strategic and comprehensive partnerships with Vietnam.
In 2017, for the second time, Vietnam hosts APEC. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Chair of the APEC 2017 National Committee Pham Binh Minh said that it would mark Vietnam’s most important contribution to APEC in the period of increased international integration.
Activities in 2017 will help set the partnership between Vietnam and APEC member economies to be strengthened, and bilateral relations be deepened.
The event will also encourage Vietnam to promote economic reform and restructuring, shift growth model, improve business environment and domestic investment. For localities and businesses, some 200 APEC activities in 2017 are expected to bring about trade, investment and tourism cooperation opportunities.
Vietnam’s Da Nang city is expected to welcome some 10,000 delegates during APEC Summit Week this November who are representatives from international and regional leading businesses and large communications groups. “This will be a chance to promote an innovative and dynamic Vietnam,” said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh./.