Vietnam, together with other ASEAN members, is collaborating with the
host Indonesia to make the up-coming 21st APEC Economic Leaders’
Meeting a success, creating imprints and a long-term vision for
cooperation over the next decades, said Deputy Foreign Minister Bui
Thanh Son.
Deputy Foreign Minister Son made the
affirmation in an article on 25 years of the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) and Vietnam’s participation in the forum on the
occasion of the 21 st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the island
of Bali from October 6-8.
Vietnamese President
Truong Tan Sang will attend the event at the invitation of his
Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Vietnam became an official member of APEC in November 1998. Over the
past 15 years, the country has been a dynamic and responsible member,
making many positive and effective contributions to APEC cooperation,
reflected by its success as APEC Chair in 2006, as well as in hosting
the 14th APEC Leaders’ Meeting and the 18th APEC Ministerial Meeting
of foreign and economic/trade ministers. Vietnam will be the host of
the sixth APEC Ministerial Meeting on Human Resources Development in
2014.
The country has also strictly followed APEC’s
plans, cooperation programmes and commitments, as well as actively
participated in more than 70 initiatives on economics, trade,
investment, technology, health care and terrorism prevention.
As part of its active international integration, Vietnam will
continue considering APEC a focus in its foreign policy of openness,
diversification and multilateralization.
APEC is
now the country’s largest regional investor, accounting for 65 percent
of its total foreign investment, 60 percent of export turnover, 80
percent of import value and 75 percent of total international tourists
to Vietnam .
Deputy FM Son affirmed that APEC is
not only the forum critical to Vietnam’s development in economics,
external affairs and security, but also an effective channel for the
country to boost cooperation and deepen its bilateral relations with
other member economies which include its comprehensive and strategic
partners.
Therefore, Vietnam pledges to participate
in and contribute positively to the success of the 21st APEC Economic
Leaders’ Meeting, for the dynamism, self-strength and development of the
Asia-Pacific region, the Vietnamese diplomat stressed.-VNA