This is an outstanding external
achievement of Vietnam this year, which contributes to increasing the role of
APEC as a leading regional economic cooperation mechanism in a rapidly changing
world, as well as marking a new milestone in Vietnam’s implementation of
external policies of multilateralism and international integration to foster
peace, cooperation and development and increase the country’s position in the
global arena, he wrote in an article.
Such achievements gained in APEC
Year 2017 will create momentum for Vietnam to accomplish major tasks
in the years to come, including candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the
United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021 and Chair of ASEAN in 2020, he
said.
President Tran Dai Quang and leaders of China, Russia and the United States during the APEC Summit hosted in Da Nang city
“It could be said that the recent
APEC Economic Leaders’ Week has turned Vietnam into a center of attention of
the world,” he wrote, adding that all leaders of APEC member economies such as
the United States, China, Russia and Japan gathered at the event in Da Nang along with
more than 11,000 delegates, businesspeople, and reporters.
Nearly 100 bilateral meetings
between APEC leaders took place on this occasion, demonstrating the increasing
position of the Asian-Pacific region in the global political-economic map as
well as the strong commitments of member economies to APEC cooperation, he
noted.
It also affirms the position of Vietnam
in the region and the special attention of other APEC member economies and
leaders to the Southeast Asian country, he said.
A record number of more than 4,000
businesses participating in the events illustrated the entrepreneurial spirit
of APEC and affirmed the forum is for people and enterprises, which opens up
new prospects for investment, trade and business growth in Vietnam and Asia-Pacific, he added.
With the adoption of eight documents
at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2017, including the Da Nang Declaration
“Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future”, Vietnam once again made a milestone
in APEC cooperation, the President stressed.
The week made significant
contributions to deepening relations between member economies and Vietnam with historical bilateral meetings,
including the first State-level visit to Vietnam
by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Xi
Jinping after the 19th Congress of the CPC, and the first State visit to Vietnam
by US President Donald Trump. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria also
paid a State visit to Vietnam
while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an official visit to Vietnam.
During the week, Vietnamese leaders
had nearly 50 bilateral meetings with partners.
This is the second time Vietnam
has played the host to the APEC year and fulfilled all set targets. The APEC
Economic Leaders’ Week also brought benefits to the country’s socio-economic
development with a total of 121 signed cooperation agreements and contracts
worth nearly USD 20 billion, 10 times more than in 2006 - the first time Vietnam
hosted the forum.
This is also an occasion for Vietnam
to introduce to international friends a country with a dynamic economy and
hospitable people.
Following the success of APEC Year
2017, Vietnam will continue accompanying other APEC member economies to
implement reached commitments in the coming years to build the APEC Vision
toward 2020 so that Asia-Pacific will continue to be a driver of growth and
economic connectivity for the globe as well as ensure the forum is for people
and businesses in order to realize the strategic vision of a sustainable and
inclusive Asia-Pacific partnership, the President concluded.
Source: VNA