The dialogue, an initiative of Vietnam as the host of APEC activities in 2017, drew about 400 delegates from international and regional organizations, commerce chambers, associations and businesses from APEC economies.
Speakers at the APEC dialogue on December 8
Alan Bollard – Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat and Antonio Basilio – Director of the APEC Business Advisory Council’s International Secretariat was among keynote speakers.
Opening the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Chairman of the 2017 APEC Senior Officials’ Meetings, said Vietnam wants to turn APEC into a forum for the sake of people and businesses. Diverse activities involving enterprises will take place throughout 2017.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung highlighted the Vietnamese capital city’s reform and integration efforts and reiterated commitments to revamping local business climate change towards a big hub in Asia-Pacific.
He highly valued the APEC dialogue’s cooperation focus on business facilitation, trade liberalization, and technical economic investment and cooperation, adding that Hanoi expects APEC 2017 will effectively implement the prioritized orientations on sustainable and inclusive growth, creativity, and regional economic connectivity to improve small and medium enterprises’ competitiveness, and ensure food security and sustainable agriculture.
He stated that Hanoi welcomes and will always create a favorable environment for businesses’ cooperation for mutual development. It hopes more and more APEC partners will consider this city as a trustworthy destination for cooperation and investment.
At the dialogue, entrepreneurs appreciated APEC’s efforts to promote trade and investment liberalization and build an open and transparent business and investment environment. They also voiced their wish to join in and practically contribute to APEC’s cooperation in 2017.
Source: VNA