Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung: Vietnam supports APEC principles and processes.

President Vo Van Thuong and his wife will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Week and bilateral activities in San Francisco, USA, from November 14-17.

On this occasion, Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Nguyen Quoc Dung gave an interview to VNA reporters in Washington ahead of President Vo Van Thuong's trip.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Nguyen Quoc Dung. Photo: VNA

Ambassador, please tell us what is the significance of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in the United States for development cooperation and security in the Asia-Pacific region? APEC is a regional economic forum consisting of 21 member economies, including the world's largest economies. In the context of the current world situation with many uncertainties and challenges, this APEC economic forum will be an opportunity for leaders of the 21 economies to discuss these challenges and measures to overcome them, as well as policy coordination between economies, how to bring about the fastest economic recovery, while ensuring healthy and strong economic development in the future. And the theme of this year's APEC is "Creating a resilient and sustainable future for all" which speaks to the goal of this APEC forum. With the three focuses of connectivity, innovation and inclusion, I am sure that the leaders of the 21 economies will discuss many issues that are of interest to the world economies today. The most prominent, important and pressing issues today such as maintaining sustainable supply chains, digital transformation, digital trade, energy transition, combating climate change, green economy... are issues that the whole world is currently very interested in. One of the important meanings of APEC this time is to commemorate exactly 30 years since the first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting took place on Bleck Island in the United States at the initiative of then US President Bill Clinton and the fact that the US is hosting this time is the third time showing the US's commitment to the economic development of the region, as well as the US's responsibility to the global economy. At the invitation of President of the United States of America Joe Biden, President Vo Van Thuong and his wife will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit Week combined with bilateral activities in San Francisco, USA, from November 14-17. Could you please share with us the significance of President Vo Van Thuong's trip?

President Vo Van Thuong's participation in this year's APEC forum shows Vietnam's support for multilateralism in general, as well as the APEC process in particular. Vietnam is a very active member, in fact, Vietnam has twice assumed the role of Chair and host of the APEC Summit. Vietnam has made many contributions and initiatives to promote the APEC process, and Vietnam's participation also demonstrates its support for APEC's principles and processes. Vietnam is ready to coordinate with member countries to further develop this process, ensuring sustainable economic development and bringing new opportunities, new advantages and especially conditions to overcome current difficulties, inadequacies, instabilities and challenges posed by the very complicated world situation. Attending APEC this year in the United States is also an opportunity for Vietnam to promote bilateral relations with the United States after the two sides upgraded their relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. On the occasion of attending APEC, President Vo Van Thuong and his delegation also had many activities in San Francisco, meeting with US authorities as well as US scholars and businesses to implement the agreements that the two sides reached when deciding to upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Thank you very much, Ambassador!

Kieu Trang - Doan Hung (Vietnam News Agency)