Vietnam's new mark and position

We are hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in 2017 (APEC Year 2017) in a very complicated global and regional context. APEC is in a key development stage, preparing to complete the Bogor Goals on free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2020 and preparing to build a vision after 2020.

In addition to great opportunities and opportunities, the Asia-Pacific region has had to deal with severe challenges in recent years. Protectionism and anti-globalization sentiment have increased, medium- and long-term global growth has faced many risks, the internal political situation of many APEC members and the complicated conflicts between major countries. These factors directly challenge APEC's role as the leading economic forum in the region in promoting economic growth and connectivity. At the same time, they pose certain difficulties for Vietnam's hosting, chairing and operating APEC 2017.

However, up to this point, we can happily and proudly affirm that APEC Year 2017, culminating in the APEC Summit Week in
Da Nang, under the chairmanship of Vietnam, was a great success.

With the successful APEC Year 2017, we have truly and effectively implemented the foreign policy of the 12th National Party Congress on "proactively and actively integrating internationally" as a "responsible member of the international community", thereby "improving the quality and effectiveness of multilateral foreign affairs".

As the host of APEC Year 2017, Vietnam has led APEC to continue on the right track, maintaining the momentum of cooperation and affirming APEC's core values ​​on trade and investment liberalization, promoting APEC cooperation achievements, and establishing APEC's cooperation orientations in practical areas for people and businesses.

As host and chair of APEC conferences, we have also succeeded in reconciling the differences in positions of the economies, sometimes extremely fierce, to reach a common consensus on many important APEC issues and the regional and global integration process.

Vietnam has also put forward many important proposals and initiatives, shaping APEC cooperation in the future, in line with our interests as well as the common interests and trends of the region and the world, thereby gaining high support and consensus from APEC economies.

Vietnam has taken full advantage of APEC 2017 to deepen its relations with its partners. On the occasion of the recent APEC Summit Week, President Tran Dai Quang and other Party and State leaders met, interacted and exchanged with leaders of all APEC partners.

On this occasion, we also organized four important bilateral visits by the General Secretary and President of China, the President of the United States, the President of Chile and the Prime Minister of Canada. These were very meaningful visits, bringing concrete results and promoting substantive cooperation with these countries. For China, this was the first State visit by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping right after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. For the United States, this was the first State visit in the first year of a US President's term to Vietnam. For Canada, the two countries have upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership with many important agreements in various fields.

APEC 2017 is also an opportunity to develop and promote regions, localities, businesses and people, with hundreds of activities and events of APEC 2017 held in many localities across the country. 2,100 businesses at the APEC Business Summit and the Vietnam Business Summit, along with more than 80 trade and investment connection activities between localities and APEC businesses, demonstrate the efforts and dynamism of our ministries, businesses and the great interest of leading international and regional businesses in Vietnam.

We have ensured absolute safety in all provinces and cities hosting the conference, especially at the High-Level Week in Da Nang, in terms of security, health care, and facilities, clearly demonstrating the image of Vietnam as a peaceful, stable, and safe country.

APEC 2017 has significantly enhanced Vietnam's international position. Through our successful role as host, coordinator and operator of APEC activities, as well as through witnessing Vietnam's socio-economic achievements, partners truly appreciate and trust in our role,
Vietnam's position, and a new perspective on a dynamic, courageous, integrated and creative Vietnam. This is the premise for us to confidently enter a new stage of national development with more active, proactive and extensive international integration policies and measures.

The above achievements of APEC Year 2017 and APEC Summit Week are primarily due to Vietnam's international position and socio-economic achievements after more than 30 years of Doi Moi, thanks to the effective implementation of the Party's correct foreign policy in recent times and the close, drastic direction and direct participation of the Party and State leaders.

The Politburo has made a strategic decision on hosting APEC 2017, selecting the location, theme and priorities of the APEC Year. Key leaders regularly update the situation, closely monitor and direct the preparation and organization of APEC, giving top priority to ensuring the success of APEC 2017, considering this a key task not only for 2017 but also for the entire 12th Congress term. President Tran Dai Quang chaired, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Government directed and participated in important activities during APEC 2017.

Established on July 21, 2015, the APEC 2017 National Committee, consisting of five Sub-Committees, has coordinated smoothly and effectively, persistently following the proposed key tasks, developing and synchronously implementing tasks on content, reception, logistics, propaganda, culture, security and health.

This success also comes from careful, methodical, and early preparation, and the united efforts of ministries, departments, branches, localities, businesses, and people over the past 3 years in preparation and implementation.

APEC 2017 also marked the remarkable growth of officials at all levels, from central to local levels, and the growth and support of the Vietnamese business community, the support of Vietnamese people in the provinces and cities hosting the conference, especially in Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, who actively participated in the preparation and organization activities, demonstrating the culture of integration, hospitality and friendliness.

The success of APEC 2017 leaves us with many lessons.
valuable experience. First of all, it is the lesson of “independence, self-reliance” and “adapting to all changes with the unchangeable”. In the process of coordinating and operating APEC in 2017, we encountered many difficulties and obstacles, and at times it seemed like we would collapse. However, we were steadfast in our goals, and at the same time skillfully and flexibly handled differences, thereby reaching a common consensus.

It is also a lesson in mobilizing people's strength. APEC 2017 witnessed unprecedented support and participation from the business community and the Vietnamese people, with national pride and the highest sense of responsibility, all for the image of the country and for the common success of APEC 2017.

It is also a lesson of “integration for development”. Through APEC 2017, agencies, organizations, localities, businesses and people have a clearer understanding of the meaning and practical benefits of the international integration policy for their own development, thereby being more proactive in participating in that process in the new development stage of the country.

APEC 2017 has been a success, but there is still much work to be done in the coming time. We need to summarize and evaluate the above results, experiences and lessons of APEC 2017, to create a solid momentum for the next steps on the path of international integration, successfully implementing the foreign policy of the 12th National Party Congress, including raising the level of multilateral diplomacy./.