APEC 2017: Cambodia press praises Vietnam’s role and position
Rasmei Kampuchea, a daily Cambodian newspaper in Khmer language, published an article on November 5, analysing Vietnam’s role as the host of the APEC Year 2017.
The paper described the APEC forum as a key platform for Vietnam’s integration, as the bloc groups 13 out of the country’s 25 strategic and comprehensive partners. Vietnam has signed free trade agreements with 18 out of 20 APEC member economies.
 |
The paper said Vietnam is an active APEC member economy, which has proposed and implemented more than 100 projects in commerce, investment, economic and technical cooperation, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development, health, food security, and anti-terrorism.
It said Vietnam has performed well as chair, co-chair and deputy chair of meetings of APEC committees and working groups on SMEs, energy, food security, natural disasters prevention, and sustainable tourism, among others.
In 2013, Vietnam registered to host the APEC Year 2017. The role reflects Vietnam’s contributions to the cooperation forum toward the 20th anniversary of the country’s APEC membership (1998 - 2008), the article noted.
Established in 1989, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.
It represents about 39% of the world’s population and contributes 57% to global GDP and 49% of international trade.
Every year, a host member holds more than 200 APEC events, including about 8-12 ministerial meetings, with the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week being the most important and often held at the end of the year. The bloc aims to complete the Bogor Goals on realising free and open trade in the Asia-Pacific in 2020.
This year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Week began in Da Nang, Vietnam, on November 6, lasting through November 11.
