Vietnam To Boost Political, Investment Relations With Partners In Apec 2011

HANOI, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- State President Truong Tan Sang, who will attend the 19th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Hawaii, said that the meeting will offer an opportunity for Vietnam to boost political, trade and investment relations with regional partners.

Vietnam's participation will also help to deepen ties between Vietnam and other APEC members through the exchange of information on the socio-economic situation, and on the guidelines and policies of the nation, according to Vietnam news agency (VNA) citing Sang as saying.

The president will attend the APEC meeting from Nov 10 to 13 at the invitation of U.S. President Barack Obama.

Vietnam' participation in this APEC meeting reflects the 11th Party Congress foreign policy of proactively promoting intensive and comprehensive international integration and continuing to play an important role in Asia-Pacific regional cooperation frameworks.

This will also be a chance for Vietnam to take advantage of suitable APEC programmes in an effort to stabilise the macro-economy, serve socio-economic development goals and renew the growth model.

This year, APEC themed "Strengthening regional economic connectivity and expanding trade", will focus on three areas of priority, namely regional economic connectivity and trade expansion; green growth and advancing regulatory cooperation and convergence.

At the Ministeral and Senior Official meetings Cooperation, the group will focus on the technical economy and human security discussion.

Established in 1989 and with 18 summits held, APEC is now the largest economic trade cooperation group in the Asia-Pacific region. It includes 21 member economies and accounts for 40 percent of the global population, 55 percent of GDP and 44 percent of world trade.

APEC is actively speeding up efforts to strengthen the efficiency of cooperation and improve its role in the world economic restructuring process, especially in the face of the emergence of other regional mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement and G20.

Through joining APEC, Vietnam has gained better access to capital sources, modern technology and management experience through investment and trade activities with major economies like the US, Japan, China and Canada.

-- BERNAMA