Speakers at the APEC dialogue on December 8
The dialogue, an initiative of Vietnam as the host of APEC’s activities in 2017, drew about 400 delegates from international and regional organisations, chambers of commerce, associations and businesses from APEC economies.
Alan Bollard, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, and Antonio Basilio, Director of the APEC Business Advisory Council’s International Secretariat,were among the keynote speakers.Opening the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Chairman of the 2017 APEC Senior Officials’ Meetings, said Vietnam wants to turn APEC into a forum for the sake of the people and businesses. Diverse activities involving enterprises will take place throughout2017.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung highlighted the Vietnamese capital city’s reform and integration efforts and reiterated its commitments to revamping the local business climate to make it hub for business in Asia-Pacific.
He highly valued the APEC dialogue’s focus on business facilitation, trade liberalisation and technical economic investment and cooperation, adding that Hanoi expects APEC 2017 will be effective in implementing the prioritised plans on sustainable and inclusive growth, creativity and regional economic connectivity to improve small and medium enterprises’ competitiveness and ensure food security and sustainable agriculture.
He stated that Hanoi welcomes and will always create a favourable environment for businesses’ cooperation for mutual development. It hopes more and more APEC partners will consider this city a trustworthy destination for cooperation and investment.
At the dialogue, entrepreneurs expressed their appreciation for APEC’s efforts to promote trade and investment liberalisation and build an open and transparent business and investment environment. They also voiced their wish to practically contribute to APEC’s cooperation in 2017.
