With many activities; the highlight of which is the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Leaders' Meeting taking place on November 17, 2023, this year's APEC Summit Week focuses on discussions to work towards the goal: "Creating a resilient, sustainable future for all" - as the theme of the host country, the United States, has proposed.
“Connect”, “Innovate” and “Inclusive” for more resilient APEC economies
These are the three key priorities that will be discussed at this APEC Summit Week. Specifically, within the framework of the Week, the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Leaders' Meeting (AEM) will discuss the theme "Connectivity and Resilient and Inclusive Economies" ; the 34th Foreign and Economic Ministers' Meeting (FEM) will include sessions on "Building a Resilient and Connected Region to Enhance Inclusive Economic Prosperity" and "Creating an Innovative Environment for a Sustainable Future and Ensuring an Equal and Inclusive Future for All"; the 30th Finance Ministers' Meeting will include sessions focusing on "The World and Regional Financial and Economic Situation", "Modern Supply-Side Economic Model", "Sustainable Finance" and "Digital Assets".
Also from the common theme: "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All" , delegates attending the APEC High-Level Week focused on discussing economic issues such as sustainable development, digitalization, women's economic empowerment, trade facilitation, energy security, food security and health, promoting sustainable and inclusive energy transition; strengthening economic relations and increasing supply chain resilience, promoting the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)...
Ceremony to welcome President Vo Van Thuong at San Francisco International Airport. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA
| A notable event on the sidelines of the APEC Summit is the scheduled meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 15. This will be the first face-to-face meeting between the US and Chinese leaders in a year. The two leaders are expected to discuss many issues, such as: the strategic direction of the bilateral relationship, the importance of restoring bilateral military dialogue, the crisis in Ukraine, the Israel-Gaza conflict, etc. |
In particular, according to the host country, the US, the goal of this year's Summit Week is to try to make APEC economies more resilient, especially in the face of growing climate issues and after a global pandemic that has killed millions of people and strained supply chains. The above topics were chosen and prioritized because they are very practical issues that APEC members and stakeholders are extremely concerned about.
Ahead of this year’s Summit Week, the United States has worked with APEC partners to develop a set of common principles to promote sustainable and inclusive cooperation while ensuring APEC economies continue to grow and implement their respective trade policies. Observers say the themes and priorities proposed by the United States are essentially a continuation of those of APEC hosts in recent years.
Vietnam cooperates and acts for sustainable development of the region
Vietnam became an official member of APEC in 1998. As Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang observed, the decision to join APEC in 1998 was a strategic decision in the country's international economic integration, laying the foundation for global integration and contributing to the development of Vietnam as well as the region.
Over the past 25 years, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang, Vietnam has made active, responsible and effective contributions to all areas of cooperation, leaving many important marks in the APEC process, of which the three most prominent marks are: First, Vietnam is one of the few economies that has been trusted and supported by members to host APEC twice in 2006 and 2017. Under Vietnam's chairmanship, the two APEC Summits in Hanoi in 2006 and Da Nang in 2017 were both highly successful, achieving important results, of strategic significance for the APEC Forum as well as economic cooperation and linkages in the Asia-Pacific region. In APEC 2006, we made our mark with the Hanoi Action Program.
Second, Vietnam is one of the most active members in proposing cooperation initiatives and projects, with nearly 150 projects. These initiatives and projects on the one hand promote APEC cooperation in accordance with the interests and concerns of members, while at the same time effectively serving Vietnam's socio-economic development goals.
Third, we have affirmed our role in managing and promoting the implementation of APEC cooperation programs through taking on important positions in the Forum's mechanisms. Notably, we have been the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, Chair of the ASEAN Group in APEC, Chair/Vice Chair of many important committees and working groups of the Forum. Vietnamese enterprises have also contributed and actively participated in the APEC Business Advisory Council and the APEC Business Summit.
The success of APEC 2006 and APEC 2017, along with other important contributions of Vietnam at the Forum, has contributed to enhancing the country's role, position and prestige in the international arena, making the most of opportunities and resources from APEC cooperation and regional economic cooperation and linkage mechanisms to serve the country's socio-economic development.
At this Summit Week, on the morning of November 14 (local time), President Vo Van Thuong and his wife, along with the Vietnamese High-Level Delegation, arrived at San Francisco International Airport, USA, starting a working trip to attend the Summit Week and combine bilateral activities in the US at the invitation of US President Joe Biden. In the context of the Vietnam - US relationship continuing to develop strongly in recent times with the two countries establishing a framework for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the President's working trip to attend the APEC Summit and bilateral activities in the US is of great significance.
The President will join APEC leaders in discussing key issues for the world and regional economies, and set out directions for cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, innovation and many other areas. Together with other members, Vietnam will promote the spirit of dialogue, constructiveness, responsibility, uphold multilateralism, and work together for sustainable development and prosperity in the region.
The President will attend, deliver a speech and have many working sessions at the APEC Business Summit. This is the largest event of the business community in the region with the participation of more than 2,000 leaders of leading corporations in the world and the Asia-Pacific region. Here, the President will convey a strong message to the business community to join hands to contribute, overcome challenges in the current period and take advantage of opportunities to promote sustainable development of the region and each economy, including Vietnam.
With the United States, the President's activities at the APEC Summit and bilateral activities with senior leaders and US partners, especially in California, will continue to promote bilateral relations in the spirit of the recent Joint Statement on establishing the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, especially in the fields of education and training, science and technology, innovation and local connectivity.
| Established in 1989, APEC currently has 21 member economies. With the participation of many of the world's leading economies, such as the United States, China, Japan, etc., along with nine members of the Group of 20 leading developed and emerging economies (G20) and many other dynamically developing economies, APEC represents about 38% of the world's population, contributing 62% of GDP and nearly 50% of global trade. Operating on the principles of consensus, voluntariness and non-binding, APEC promotes cooperation focusing on three main pillars, including trade and investment liberalization; business facilitation; economic and technical cooperation, capacity building, and equitable and sustainable development. |
Nguyen Ha
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