APEC 2017 summit week officially kicks off in Da Nang

The opening of the APEC Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting (CSOM) - an event to kick off the 2017 APEC Summit Week - Photo: baocongthuong

Welcoming delegates to the CSOM, which is being held on November 6-7, Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, who is also APEC 2017 SOM Chair, stressed that although this year presented both difficulties and opportunities to APEC cooperation, APEC economies have managed to secure many important results, such as maintaining the momentum of cooperation and reaching agreements in a wide range of issues to boost this year’s priorities and support other APEC ongoing works.

“We have greatly benefited from the active engagement and contributions of all member economies and other stakeholders to advance this APEC process in our designed direction,” he added.

The two-day meeting will focus on reviewing this year’s achievements in fulfilling the APEC targets and vision, as well as finalising the APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) statement and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) Declaration.

He urged senior officials to use this meeting in the most constructive way to discuss all standing issues.

Under the theme ‘Creating new dynamism, fostering a shared future’, the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2017 will take place until November 11, with eight major events and a number of side-line activities.

To highlight this year’s theme and ensure the continuity of the priorities at APEC Peru 2016, APEC Vietnam 2017 focuses on four priorities, including Promoting Sustainable, Innovative and Inclusive Growth, Deepening Regional Economic Integration, Strengthening Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs)’ Competitiveness and Innovation in the Digital Age, and Enhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Response to Climate Change.

President Tran Dai Quang will preside over and attend the main activities of the Week, including the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dialogue with APEC Economic Leaders and the APEC – ASEAN Informal Dialogue; an official welcoming ceremony for the APEC Economic Leaders and their spouses, and the Gala Dinner and Cultural Performance on November 10.

He will also chair the 25th APEC Economic Leaders’ Retreat on November 11 and deliver an opening speech at the APEC CEO Summit scheduled for November 8-10.

The week is being attended by about 10,000 delegates from the 21 APEC member economies and is expected to welcome key note speeches by the US President Donald Trump, Chinese Party General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.