APEC 2017 – focus of Vietnam’s foreign policy: Ambassador
Hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2017 successfully is the focus of Viet Nam’s foreign policy, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh said.
He made the remarks while addressing a special discussion within the framework of the annual meeting of the US’s National Centre for APEC (NCAPEC), as a representative of the host country of APEC 2017.
Viet Nam always gives prominence to the strategic and economic significance of APEC 2017, he said, noting that the country is working on the summit’s theme which will focus on how to create a new momentum for APEC economies on the back of the sluggish global economy. In that spirit, the country has consulted other APEC members about such issues as regional economic connectivity, sustainable growth, start-ups, global value chain, business competitiveness, food security and sustainable agriculture adaptable to climate change, among others, the ambassador added.
He spoke highly of the NCAPEC’s role to the development and successes of APEC as well as its contributions to APEC summits in 2006 and 2017 hosted by Viet Nam. Viet Nam will closely cooperate with the international business community, the NCAPEC and US enterprises in particular in all activities of APEC Year in 2017, the diplomat promised. He called on US firms to continue backing the country’s efforts in order to create new values for APEC and ensure its development and successes by actively taking part in business dialogues within APEC 2017. Vinh said he hopes that the new US President will attend the event and visit Viet Nam in the year.
Representatives of the participating US companies shared their views that with a strategic geographical location and active engagement in regional economic integration institutions like the ASEAN Economic Community, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will help Viet Nam successfully host the summit. They said they are interested in Vietnam’s assessment of the TPP’s impacts on other regional trade integration institutions like the RECP as well as the prospects for the establishment of a Free Trade Area of Asia-Pacific. NCAPEC leaders expressed their willingness to coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in the US to make APEC 2017 a success.
Established in Seattle, Washington in 1994, the NCAPEC is the only US business association focused exclusively on facilitating private sector engagement in the APEC organisation. Led by a board of more than 50 major US companies with a strong interest in the growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific, the NCAPEC works to advance US private sector policy priorities in APEC's discussions on trade and economic issues. The centre also serves as the Secretariat to the US members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the official mechanism for private sector input in APEC.
