Poster of the US-Asia Institute's conference on the APEC Vietnam Year 2017 (Source: usasiainstitute.org) Washington DC (VNA) – The US-Asia Institutetogether with the Vietnamese Embassy in the US have organised a conferenceabout the APEC Vietnam 2017 in Washington DC.
In his introductory speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to the USPham Quang Vinh said amid opportunities and challenges brought about by changesacross the Asia – Pacific, Vietnam chose the theme for this APEC year as “CreatingNew Dynamism & Fostering a Shared Future”.
This means a search for initiatives serving vitality,sustainable growth, and trade-investment expansion in the region, he said, addingVietnam has worked with APEC member economies and business communities towardthe outlook since the beginning of 2017.
According to the diplomat, Vietnam has to date organisedmore than 200 meetings across four key domains – sustainable, creative, andinclusive growth; regional connectivity; capacity building of small- andmedium-sized enterprises in digital age; and food security and sustainablefarming.
These meetings put forth growth orientations for APECeconomies and laid the groundwork for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in DaNang city, central Vietnam, next November.
Vinh welcomed the upcoming Vietnam visit by US PresidentDonald Trump and his presence at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, with abelief that his visit will stimulate Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership aswell as regional cooperation for peace, development and prosperity.
Speakers at the conference, David Shear, Former USAmbassador to Vietnam, and Murray Hiebert, Senior Adviser and Deputy Director of theSoutheast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, laudedVietnam’s preparation and organisation of the APEC Year 2017.
They said the APEC forum and Asia-Pacific are important tothe US economically and strategically. The country’s new administration hascontinued tightening relations with the region by welcoming visits by the primeministers of Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, and organising visitsby its senior officials to the region.
The experts expected Trump’s upcoming trip to Asia willreiterate US’s commitment to the Asia – Pacific’s peace, security, andprosperity, including the freedom of marine navigation and overflight in theEast Sea.
On the occasion, the US-Asia Institute presented an insigniato Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh for his contribution to the US – ASEAN relations.
The US-Asia Institute was established as a non-governmentalorganisation in 1979 to serve as an independent voice in the relationship betweenthe White House and Asia.-VNA
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