HÀ NỘI — Senior officials from the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum gathered at a conference in Hà Nội yesterday to discuss priority topics and key activities for the 2017 APEC Summit to be hosted by Việt Nam.

The priority topics of the 2017 APEC include creating new momentum for the future of the Asia-Pacific region; promoting sustainable and creative growth, the role of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSEMs) and their competitive capacity, creativity in the digital era; and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in keeping with climate change.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice Chairman of the National Committee on 2017 APEC, Bùi Thanh Sơn, said the conference served as a venue for delegates to discuss priorities and contribute to upholding the role of the forum in coping with urgent global issues.

Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Committee on 2017 APEC, Phạm Bình Minh, said Việt Nam has made meaningful contributions to APEC and achieved practical benefits for both businesses and people in the region.

Strengthened economic co-operation, together with a network of free trade agreements with most of the member economies, was clear evidence of Việt Nam’s strong commitment to APEC and the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Minh said APEC’s agenda should focus on institutional reform in order to promote sustainable, creative and inclusive growth. He called for joint work to boost regional integration by grasping opportunities offered by the ASEAN Community and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, among others. 

More support should be given to micro and medium-sized enterprises to improve their competitiveness and enable them to join the global value chain, he said, noting the great potential for co-operation in digital infrastructure since Asia-Pacific is home to the largest number of internet subscribers globally. 

He also called for attention to food security and sustainable agriculture, saying that APEC needs to facilitate technology transfer to improve productivity and farmers’ skills, giving them better access to markets and capital. 

Peruvian Deputy Foreign Minister Luis Quesada, Chair of the 2016 APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting, said he witnessed Việt Nam success in hosting the 2006 APEC and believed that it would successfully organise the event next year.

The seminar attracted representatives from APEC member economies and APEC Secretariat as well as observers, scholars, and businesses at home and abroad. — VNS