All members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have highly valued Vietnam’s practical and constructive contributions to the forum over the last more than two decades while attending the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2023, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

President Vo Van Thuong (second row, fourth from right) and other leaders at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2023 in San Francisco (Photo: VNA)

Talking to the press following President Vo Van Thuong’s trip to the US to attend the week from November 14 to 17 in San Francisco, Son said the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2023 held special significance as it marked 25 years since Vietnam became a member of APEC. President Thuong and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam attended activities of the week and made important contributions to its success.

First, the Vietnamese leader raised ideas and proposals aimed at responding to urgent issues of the world economy, particularly the requirement for a new mindset that is inclusive, harmonious, and humane.

He also gave concrete suggestions about the mission and tasks of APEC in the new period to make adaptation and continue to gain success. They included maintaining and consolidating the important achievements in trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation in Asia-Pacific and the world, cooperating to build a resilient region and resilient economies ready to respond to challenges, and creating a cooperation framework to assist member economies to capitalise on development opportunities and boost growth impetus.

Those ideas and proposals were highly valued by other leaders and the business community and shown in the meeting’s document, thereby opening up new directions for APEC cooperation, the Foreign Minister noted.

Second, member economies voiced their support for Vietnam’s proposal to host APEC in 2027. Amid complex developments in the world and the region, this proposal affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to multilateralism, the Asia-Pacific region in general, and the APEC forum in particular. It also reflected the country’s determination to implement the policy of proactive, active, comprehensive, and intensive integration into the world, and being a friend, a trustworthy partner, and a responsible member of the international community, helping to successfully carry out the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

All APEC members appreciated Vietnam’s highly practical and constructive contributions to APEC over the last more than two decades, and affirmed their trust in its APEC chairmanship in 2027, Son went on.

Third, he added, representatives of Vietnamese ministries and sectors actively took part in and coordinated with host the US and other members during the preparation for and discussions during the week to generate the best possible results for all members.

On this occasion, President Thuong engaged in many meetings with leaders of other APEC economies and guests. At those events, APEC leaders and guests spoke highly of Vietnam’s stature and role and agreed to increase mutual visits, step up cooperation in politics - diplomacy, economy - trade, science - technology, education - training, locality-to-locality ties, and people-to-people exchanges, and support each other at regional and international forums.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son

Regarding bilateral activities with the US, President Thuong met with his US counterpart Joe Biden, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles Erin Bromaghim. He received some leading enterprises of the US such as Boeing and Apple, delivered a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations, attended and addressed a roundtable on high technology connecting Vietnamese localities and US enterprises, and visited Stanford University’s hospital. He also visited a family of Vietnamese expatriates and met officials of Vietnam’s representative diplomatic bodies in the US.

The President’s speech about the world situation, Vietnam’s foreign policy, and the Vietnam - US relations at the Council on Foreign Relations received high evaluation from the US side, according to Minister Son.

At the activities, both sides agreed to make efforts to continue implementing the agreements reached between the two countries’ leaders during the recent State visit to Vietnam by US President Biden at the invitation of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the joint statement on the elevation of bilateral relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership. They agreed to focus on economy, trade and investment, with the US soon granting the market economy status to Vietnam; consider science - technology and innovation as breakthrough cooperation fields; press on with cooperation in education - training, including the training of high-quality human resources; and work together in climate change response.

US enterprises continued to show their high interest in the Vietnamese market and pledged to keep expanding investment and business activities in Vietnam, especially in the fields of high technology, infrastructure, and energy. They also expressed their readiness to help the country with manpower training to create a skillful workforce to serve digital transformation and green transition, the official noted.

He said the trip by President Thuong and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week and bilateral activities in the US was successful and a practical move to carry out the foreign policy devised at the 13th National Party Congress.

Via the State leader’s remarks and activities, Vietnam conveyed important messages about its viewpoint on and approach to the challenges facing the world and the region, along with the implementation of its foreign policy.

Meanwhile, the hosting of APEC for the third time, in 2027, will once again demonstrate the country’s strategic vision on the Asia-Pacific and also be a vivid illustration of APEC members and the international community’s trust in Vietnam’s role and stature in the international arena, the Foreign Minister added.