APEC Vietnam to boost economic cooperation

Message from the President of Vietnam-Nguyen Minh Triet

It has been of great significance to liberalise trade, attract foreign investment and international assistance and receive technology and advanced managerial skills.
This provides momentum for the development of a socialist-oriented market economy, contributing to economic development and poverty reduction in Vietnam.
APEC is of importance to Vietnam. The forum comprises almost all of Vietnam’s major trading partners, investors and donors. At the same time, APEC members are the world’s leading industrial economies. About 80 per cent of trade volume, 75 per cent of foreign investment and over 50 per cent of ODA for Vietnam comes from APEC members. Therefore, APEC’s trade and investment liberalisations will facilitate Vietnam’s trade with the region and the world. Through APEC participation and international economic integration, Vietnam conveys a strong message of its international integration aspirations and affirms its capacity and goodwill in international cooperation and integration. Vietnam has been reviewing and adjusting existing regulations on trade, investment, intellectual property rights, to conform to Vietnam’s international commitments.
APEC Vietnam 2006 is not only an important event for APEC cooperation and development but also marks a new stage in Vietnam’s policy of integrating into the region and the world more deeply and comprehensively. This brings a golden opportunity for international friends to better understand Vietnam during “doi moi” and the thousand-year history of a nation aspiring to live in peace, independence and freedom. APEC Vietnam 2006 will also enable the economy to expand exchange, tighten friendships and promote cooperation with other APEC economies.
Vietnam’s dynamism and friendliness, consistency in principles and flexibility in handling has resulted in successful SOMs (SOM I, SOM II and SOM III), the Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, the Finance Ministers’ Meeting, the Tourism Ministerial Meeting, the Women Leaders’ Network Meeting, the APEC Youth Forum and so on. These constitute durable value and a solid foundation for Vietnam to participate in APEC activities more deeply, comprehensively and effectively.
On proposing the theme for APEC Year 2006 as “Towards a Dynamic Community for Sustainable Development and Prosperity”, it is Vietnam’s hope that for the sake of peace, development and prosperity in the region, APEC members will promote cooperation, coordinate activities and propose new ideas and initiatives so that APEC will continue to be the world’s most dynamic region.
For its part, as the host economy, Vietnam has put forth initiatives and action plans to boost trade, investment, economic, technical and tourism cooperation to narrow development gaps and reform APEC. At the same time, Vietnam welcomes the initiatives and efforts of other APEC economies to strengthen the multilateral trading system, of which priority goes to pushing the Doha Round forward; improving APEC’s business and investment environment towards more transparency and facilitation through lowered tariffs and non-tariff barriers, reduced transaction costs, corruption fighting and transparency enhancement. As well as enhancing APEC’s capacity in coping with terrorism, diseases and natural disasters; ensuring regional trade safety; and enhancing human security for safety of the 2.6 billion population in APEC.
With Vietnam’s great determination as the host economy, the hospitality and friendship of the Vietnamese people and the active contribution of APEC members, I hope and believe that the 14th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will agree on the issues contained in the agenda.



No. 787/November 13-19, 2006