Poster of the US-Asia Institute’s conference on the APEC Vietnam Year 2017 (Source: usasiainstitute.org)
Washington DC (VNA) – The US-Asia Institute
together with the Vietnamese Embassy in the US have organised a conference
about the APEC Vietnam 2017 in Washington DC.
In his introductory speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US
Pham Quang Vinh said amid opportunities and challenges brought about by changes
across the Asia – Pacific, Vietnam chose the theme for this APEC year as “Creating
New Dynamism Fostering a Shared Future”.
This means a search for initiatives serving vitality,
sustainable growth, and trade-investment expansion in the region, he said, adding
Vietnam has worked with APEC member economies and business communities toward
the outlook since the beginning of 2017.
According to the diplomat, Vietnam has to date organised
more than 200 meetings across four key domains – sustainable, creative, and
inclusive growth; regional connectivity; capacity building of small- and
medium-sized enterprises in digital age; and food security and sustainable
farming.
These meetings put forth growth orientations for APEC
economies and laid the groundwork for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da
Nang city, central Vietnam, next November.
Vinh welcomed the upcoming Vietnam visit by US President
Donald Trump and his presence at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, with a
belief that his visit will stimulate Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership as
well as regional cooperation for peace, development and prosperity.
Speakers at the conference, David Shear, Former US
Ambassador to Vietnam, and Murray Hiebert, Senior Adviser and Deputy Director of the
Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, lauded
Vietnam’s preparation and organisation of the APEC Year 2017.
They said the APEC forum and Asia-Pacific are important to
the US economically and strategically. The country’s new administration has
continued tightening relations with the region by welcoming visits by the prime
ministers of Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, and organising visits
by its senior officials to the region.
The experts expected Trump’s upcoming trip to Asia will
reiterate US’s commitment to the Asia – Pacific’s peace, security, and
prosperity, including the freedom of marine navigation and overflight in the
East Sea.
On the occasion, the US-Asia Institute presented an insignia
to Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh for his contribution to the US – ASEAN relations.
The US-Asia Institute was established as a non-governmental
organisation in 1979 to serve as an independent voice in the relationship between
the White House and Asia.-VNA