Viet Nam will officially host all activities within the framework of the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) in November this year, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has announced.

At the APEC 2017 forum, entrepreneurship co-operation will be a major focus, and the Vietnamese Government would like to see the participation of businesses in dialogues with governmental agencies and increased trade co-operation with APEC partners, said Vu Tien Loc, VCCI chairman, at a conference in Ha Noi on Thursday.

Hosting the forum will be an important foreign affairs milestone for Viet Nam. It will be an opportunity to learn about the latest investment trends, business and international integrations, to contribute to the progress of regional cooperation and to gain access to potential trade partners from APEC economies.

Loc said the government had entrusted the VCCI to organise events and activities relating to businesses within the APEC agenda. One such important event will be the APEC Startup Forum, which will be hosted concurrently with the APEC small and medium enterprises ministerial meeting in September in HCM City. At least 300 Vietnamese and APEC representatives are expected to take part in this forum.

With 20 major activities and 159 meetings across eight provinces and cities, APEC 2017 will give Vietnamese businesses the opportunity to further integrate into the global production network, said Nguyen Minh Vu, deputy head of the APEC 2017 National Secretariat, while speaking at the conference.

It will be a great opportunity for the country to change thinking patterns and build an integrated culture over the next decade, Vu said. It will be Viet Nam’s key foreign affairs focus until 2025, with priority given to a constructive government and to strengthening relationships with both regional and global trade partners.

With its year-long activities, the APEC event, themed “Creating new driving force for a common future”, will help create new opportunities for regional economic integration and growth in Asia Pacific. It will provide the country a platform to develop and promote the national image to global partners as well as encourage Viet Nam to fulfil its international commitments and take on more roles.

The VCCI will host the APEC Startup Forum, the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC 4) and APEC CEO Summit 2017. APEC 2017 will culminate with the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meet in Da Nang. — VNS