Delegates take photo together (Photo: VNA)Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said thetheme proposed by Vietnam as “Creating new driving force for a common future”was strongly supported as it is suitable with the regional and global commondevelopment trends and beneficial for the involved parties.
Raul Salazar, head of the Peruvian delegation tothe Informal Senior Official Meeting (ISOM), said he was satisfied when Vietnaminherited two important issues that Peru selected in APEC 2016, noting that investmentin human resources will create equal opportunities for all people.
He praised Vietnam for continuously developingpolicies on food, food production, and food markets.
Delegates held that promoting regional economic connectivityand ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth will continue to be the toppriorities of APEC cooperation in the 21st century.
Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat AlanBollard said the priorities set for APEC 2017 are equally important, focusingon economic growth, regional integration, agriculture, food, innovation andsmall-scale businesses.
He spoke highly of Vietnam’s activeparticipation in APEC over the past 20 years and expressed his belief that thecountry will make more practical contributions to bring a new developmentchapter for APEC in 2017.
Vietnam joined APEC in 1998, and successfullyhosted APEC 14 in 2006, which laid a foundation for the Asia-Pacific Free Tradeareas and adopted the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Bogor goals andinitiatives to improve cooperation within APEC.
Established in 1989, APEC comprises 21economies, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong,Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, PapuaNew Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the USand Vietnam./.
