President’s attendance shows Vietnam’s support for APEC process: ambassador

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA)

President Vo Van Thuong’s attendance in the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week in the US this year demonstrates Vietnam’s support for multilateralism in general and the APEC process in particular, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung.

President Thuong and his spouse will lead a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2023 and bilateral activities in San Francisco from November 14 to 17.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the trip, Dung said Vietnam, a highly active member of the forum, has served as Chair and host of APEC economic leaders’ weeks twice. It has made a number of contributions and proposed many initiatives to promote the APEC process, and its engagement has also reflected its support for the forum’s principles and processes.

Vietnam is ready to coordinate with other member economies to help this process develop even more, ensure sustainable economic development, and generate new opportunities and advantages, especially the conditions to address existing difficulties, problems, uncertainties, and challenges posed by the highly complicated world situation, he noted.

The diplomat added that the country’s participation in this year’s APEC event in the US is also a chance for it to step up bilateral relations with the North American country after the two sides elevated their ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership.

On this occasion, President Thuong and the Vietnamese delegation will take part in many activities in San Francisco, including meetings with local officials, scholars, and businesses to implement the agreements reached when the new partnership was formed, according to the diplomat.

Officials at the 33rd APEC Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2022

Dung noted that APEC is a regional economic forum gathering 21 member economies, including the world’s biggest.

Amid numerous uncertainties and challenges in the world situation, this time’s APEC event will be an occasion for leaders of the 21 member economies to discuss these challenges and solutions, the policy coordination among them, how to secure the fastest possible economic recovery, and how to ensure healthy and strong economic development in the coming time.

The theme of this year’s APEC is “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All”. With the focuses on connectivity, innovation and inclusiveness, leaders will look into many issues of global economies’ concern, including the maintenance of sustainable supply chains, digital transformation, digital trade, energy transition, climate change fight, and green economy, he went on.

One of the purposes of APEC 2023 is to mark the 30 years since the first APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting took place in Blake Island at the invitation of then US President Bill Clinton. The US’s third hosting of the meeting shows this country’s commitment to regional economic development as well as its sense of responsibility towards the global economy, Ambassador Dung remarked./.