Full text of the President's speech at the CEO Summit 2017

On the afternoon of November 8, in Da Nang, President Tran Dai Quang attended and delivered the opening speech at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (CEO Summit).

This is the largest business activity in the APEC 2017 Summit Week with the participation and speeches of APEC economic leaders, more than 2,000 leading regional and international businesses and 800 Vietnamese businesses.

President Tran Dai Quang delivers the opening speech at the APEC CEO Summit.

Dear Sir or Madam,

On behalf of the State and people of Vietnam, I warmly welcome you to attend the APEC Business Summit 2017 in the coastal city of Da Nang - the economic development center of Central Vietnam.

This is the largest event of the regional business community with the participation of APEC leaders, international organizations and more than 2,000 leading businesses in the region.

Your active and numerous participation today demonstrates your responsibility and dedication to join hands in building an increasingly prosperous Asia-Pacific. With the theme “Creating new dynamism, fostering a common future” and a rich and practical agenda, I believe that the Conference will open up great opportunities for cooperation and development.

Dear Sir or Madam,

After nearly three decades of development, APEC has not only witnessed many landmark changes in the world but also been a part of those changes. As the leading economic cooperation mechanism in the region, APEC has achieved important achievements in socio-economic development, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.

Today, APEC is the most effective cooperation mechanism in promoting the role of businesses, making Asia - Pacific the engine of global growth and integration and the incubator of new ideas for the future. Those achievements of APEC have very important contributions from the business community in the Asia - Pacific region that you represent.

Thanks to the decisive contributions of the business community, from the world's leading enterprises to micro, small and medium enterprises, and women-owned enterprises, Asia-Pacific has become a dynamic economic locomotive, a center of investment, science and technology, contributing nearly 50% of total investment, trade and nearly 60% of global GDP.

The APEC business community also plays a pioneering role in developing new technology and energy sectors, new forms of business cooperation, and new-generation trade and investment sectors, bringing more abundant wealth and material resources, increasingly better serving the material and spiritual needs of the people.

On behalf of APEC economic leaders, I would like to warmly congratulate and express my sincere thanks for the great contributions of the Asia-Pacific business community to APEC economies over the past nearly three decades.

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are living in a rapidly changing world with turning-point transformations. Peace, cooperation and development continue to be the dominant trends, but we are also facing severe difficulties and challenges. Nearly 10 years after the global economic and financial crisis, the economic recovery is now more solid, but there are still many potential risks in the medium and long term.

In the process of deepening globalization and the fourth industrial revolution, the benefits of growth and technological development have not spread evenly. Our region still has hundreds of millions of people living in poverty, suffering from unprecedented impacts of climate change and natural disasters.

In that overall picture, with great resources and potential in terms of economy, culture, history, resources, especially human resources, our region is facing bright prospects.

This is also the region with more than half of the world's 20 largest economies and is forecast to account for nearly 70% of global GDP by 2050. With the determination of the business community and member economies, APEC can reach higher and go further, bringing greater prosperity to the people in the region, affirming that the 21st century is the "Asia-Pacific Century" as predicted.

Over the past years, and especially after nearly a year of implementing APEC Year 2017, Vietnam has worked with member economies to develop and implement many practical cooperation contents for people and businesses on human resource development in the digital age, developing micro, small and medium enterprises, facilitating cross-border e-commerce, promoting the digital economy and the internet economy, and inclusive development in finance, economy and society. The overarching goal is to make joint efforts to put people and businesses at the center of development.

For APEC to continue to be the region's leading economic forum, we hope that the Asia-Pacific business community will continue to play an important role in working with governments to address the following urgent issues:

First, the top priority now is to maintain the momentum of global economic integration and recovery, promote the pioneering role in trade and investment liberalization, and complete the Bogor Goals by 2020. Promote public-private cooperation in enhancing comprehensive and inclusive connectivity, developing quality infrastructure, connecting new-generation supply chains, trade and investment.

In particular, at this forum, I call on businesses to strengthen cooperation and support member economies to invest more heavily in education and training so that economies and workers can better adapt to the new economic environment. Focusing on investing in people is to strengthen social consensus on trade liberalization and long-term investment. This is an important premise for businesses to continue to take advantage of globalization opportunities and expand investment and business globally.

Second, APEC needs to step up efforts to ensure inclusiveness in development. We need to turn the “economic miracle” into a “miracle of inclusive development” for the region, taking the lead in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The business community needs to promote social responsibility, actively contribute to building resilient and inclusive communities, contribute to ensuring food - water - energy security, promote the spirit of entrepreneurship and start-up, increase women’s economic empowerment, and support micro, small and medium enterprises to participate more deeply in the global market.

Third, to move towards a better common future, you and millions of other businesses in the region need to actively participate in contributing to the process of building and realizing the APEC vision after 2020 on building a peaceful, stable, dynamic, connected and prosperous Asia-Pacific. With the contributions and practical experience of businesses, we can build a comprehensive and inclusive regional vision, ensuring the interests of people and businesses. This is the premise for the sustainable development of APEC economies and business communities in the future.

Dear Sir or Madam,

After more than 30 years of renovation and nearly 20 years of participating in APEC, Vietnam has achieved great achievements. From an underdeveloped country, Vietnam has become a middle-income developing economy, an important link in the network of 16 free trade agreements.

As one of the most open economies, the future of more than 90 million Vietnamese people is increasingly closely linked to the Asia-Pacific region. Many APEC member economies are and will continue to be Vietnam's largest investors and leading trading partners.

In the coming time, we will continue to innovate synchronously and comprehensively, promoting the implementation of three strategic breakthroughs: perfecting the market economic institution, developing human resources and developing a synchronous and modern infrastructure system.

Along with that, focus on innovating the growth model, developing knowledge-based economy, high technology, modernizing agriculture, supporting industry, marine economy, tourism. Focus on perfecting institutions, policies, laws, protecting the environment, expanding business space for entities, unleashing all potentials of enterprises, enhancing enforcement responsibility and upholding the rule of law.

Along with the comprehensive renovation process, Vietnam continues to promote deep international integration and actively contribute to multilateral mechanisms. Hosting the APEC Year for the second time after exactly 11 years is a vivid demonstration of that determination. The State and people of Vietnam always highly appreciate the support, cooperation and companionship of the APEC business community during the journey of more than 30 years of renovation.

Many of the businessmen present today have come to our country since the early days of opening up. You have always shared and accompanied us through the difficult and challenging journey over the past three decades to achieve the good results we have today.

Dear Sir or Madam,

As the most adaptable business community, the APEC business community will certainly continue to thrive in this new and uncertain period. We look forward to your continued support and collaboration in creating new momentum for regional growth and integration, so that the future of the world in the 21st century truly originates in the Asia-Pacific region.

In that spirit, I believe that the APEC Business Summit 2017 will be a great success, making even greater contributions to the APEC cooperation and integration process.

On this occasion, I hope you will take the time to visit Da Nang city and the world cultural heritages of Vietnam, such as Cham Towers, My Son, Hue Monuments Complex and especially Hoi An ancient town which since the 17th century has been named on the world nautical chart and known as the busiest commercial port in the region.

Wishing you health, happiness and success.

Thank you very much!./.

According to VOV