President Tran Dai Quang attends rehearsal of APEC 2017 activities. (Photo: VNA)
Moscow (VNA) – The APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, one of the most important
politic-diplomatic events of Vietnam in recent years, affirms the country’s
active international integration policy and promotes its prestige and position
in the international arena, said a Russian expert.
Associate Professor Oksana Novakova, from the Institute of Asian and African
Studies under Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU), made the comment at a
roundtable held by the Russian Centre for ASEAN and Vietnamese Studies in
Moscow on November 1.
The APEC Year 2017 has also been considered as a catalyst for Vietnam to
promote images of an active, hospitable and safe nation, she added.
The “Doi moi” (reform) process, which officially begun in 1986, has turned
Vietnam into a developing country with freer economic policies, Novakova said,
adding that along with promoting economic cooperation, Vietnam has paid due
attention to bolstering coordination with foreign countries to maintain
regional security.
The Russian expert also stressed that peace and development are major
orientations in the country’s foreign policy.
Meanwhile, Anna Aksenova, a lecturer of MGU, noticed that Vietnam is proving
its proactive development with high average gross domestic product growth and
Vietnam’s economic expansion has close connection with investment flows from
foreign businesses.
Notably, many key investors are APEC member economies which share a number of
common benefits, she added.
Regarding the Russia-Vietnam strategic partnership, Evgeny Kobelev, an expert
from the Institute of Oriental Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, highlighted
breakthroughs in economic and trade ties when Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic
Union (EAEU) inked an agreement on the establishment of a free trade area.
He expressed his hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s presence at the
APEC 2017 Economic Leaders Meeting will give a new boost to the bilateral
relationship.
Talking with Vietnam News Agency
correspondents, Vladimir Mazyrin, Director of the Centre for ASEAN and
Vietnamese Studies, said that the roundtable aimed to introduce Vietnam and
APEC, including the agenda of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, Vietnam’s priorities
in its capacity as the host country and cooperation fields between Vietnam and
Russia for mutual benefits.
This was the second time in 11 years that Vietnam is trusted to host the event,
showing that that Vietnam and its economic achievements are appraised
internationally, he said, underlining that joining APEC, the country has a chance
to consolidate its influence and role in the Asia-Pacific.-VNA