Scene at the first second APEC Senior Officials Meeting (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The second APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 2) and related meetingsbegan in the capital city of Hanoi on May 9. During thecourse of the first working day, the APEC Mining Task Force (MTF) will hold its11th meeting and a Workshop on Mine Closure Checklist forGovernments. There will bemeetings of the Subcommittee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC), the FoodSafety Cooperation Forum (FSCF), the Partnership Training Institute Network(PTIN), the Group of Friends on Disability (GoFD) and the APEC PolicyPartnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) and an Export Certificate Workshop. SOM 2 will comprise 49 meetings, workshops anddialogues of committees and working groups of the Asia-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC) Forum, covering a range of spheres such as trade andinvestment liberalisation, business facilitation, human resource development,education, network economy, food safety, science, technology and creativity,mining, automobile industry and urbanisation. At these events, APEC delegates are expected tocontinue speeding up the implementation of long-term cooperation programmes andplans in key areas and reach consensus on documents to be submitted toministers for approval, laying a foundation for preparing contents anddocuments for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting and APEC Ministerial Meeting incentral Da Nang city in November 2017. A Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on APEC towards 2020 and Beyond,a High-level Policy Dialogue on Human Resource Development in the Digital Age,a Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) meeting, a Senior FinanceOfficials Meeting (SFOM) and the 23rd Ministers Responsible forTrade (MRT) Meeting will also be held on this occasion. Since its inception in 1989, APEC has proved itself asa leading economic cooperation and connectivity mechanism in the Asia-Pacificregion, focusing on three pillars: trade and investment liberalisation,business facilitation and economic-technological cooperation. APEC now groups 21 member economies, Australia,Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republicof Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, thePhilippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US and Vietnam,which together account for 39 percent of the world’s population and contribute59 percent of the global GDP and 48 percent of the global trade by November2016.-VNA
The second Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM2) and related meetings as part of the APEC Vietnam 2017 will take place in Hanoi from May 9-18, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.
Hosting APEC events in 2017 demonstrates the strategic diplomatic vision and growing stature of Vietnam, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
Vietnam proposed several priorities: narrowing the digital divide, strengthening women’s leadership in the digital economy and AI governance, and mobilising sustainable financing for gender equality initiatives in line with each country’s national priorities and context. Vietnam also advocated for genuine women’s participation and leadership across all areas of public life.
Ha expressed his hope that cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, and natural resources would emerge as new focal points and engines of growth in Vietnam–China relations.
Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.
Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.
Right on the same day, the ministry issued its highest-level travel warning, urging Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Israel or Iran, and advised those already in these countries to swiftly consider evacuation or relocation plans.
From the struggles against colonialists and imperialists to the period of Doi moi (renewal) and international integration, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always played a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, he said.
The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.
Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.
The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the shared responsibility of relevant parties to build trust, enhance cooperation, and jointly manage the risks of conflict, thus safeguarding long-term peace and stability in the East Sea.
The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.
The Party leader asked the new HCM City to embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.
The resolutions issued by the PM as well as ministries and ministry-level agencies reassign responsibility for 346 administrative procedures - 18 from district to provincial levels, 278 to commune level, and 50 eliminated.
Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.
Vietnamese localities' readiness to implement the two-tier local administration model, the evacuation of 18 Vietnamese citizens from Iran, Petrovietnam's 11th ranking in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 are among news highlights on June 17 evening.
The General Secretary underlined the resolve to achieve a growth rate of at least 8% in 2025, laying the groundwork for double-digit growth in the following period. He noted that these are mandatory targets, with no alternative path to success.
Restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees is no longer a choice, but an urgent requirement to transition from administrative management to governance in service of the people.
Scene at the first second APEC Senior Officials Meeting (Photo: VNA) 
