HÀ NỘI – An Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) dialogue with businesses was held in Hà Nội on December 8 with the theme “Creating new dynamism for growth and integration.”
The dialogue, an initiative of Việt Nam as the host of APEC activities in 2017, drew some 400 delegates from international and regional organisations, commerce chambers, associations and businesses from APEC economies.
Alan Bollard, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, and Antonio Basilio, director of the APEC Business Advisory Council’s International Secretariat, were among the keynote speakers.
Opening the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn, chairman of the 2017 APEC Senior Officials’ Meetings, said Việt Nam wants to turn APEC into a forum for the sake of people and businesses. Diverse activities involving enterprises will take place throughout 2017.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung highlighted the Vietnamese capital city’s reform and integration efforts and reiterated commitments to revamping local business climate change towards a big hub in Asia-Pacific.
He highly valued the APEC dialogue’s cooperation focus on business facilitation, trade liberalisation and technical economic investment and cooperation, adding that Hanoi expects APEC 2017 will effectively implement the prioritised orientations on sustainable and inclusive growth, creativity and regional economic connectivity to improve small and medium enterprises’ competitiveness and ensure food security and sustainable agriculture.
He said that Hanoi welcomes and will always create a favourable environment for business cooperation for mutual development. It hopes more and more APEC partners will consider this city a trustworthy destination for cooperation and investment.
At the dialogue, entrepreneurs appreciated APEC’s efforts to promote trade and investment liberalisation and build an open and transparent business and investment environment. They also voiced their wish to join in and practically contribute to APEC’s cooperation in 2017. — VNS