President Dai Quang addresses the APEC CEO Summit 2017 (Photo: VNA)Da Nang (VNA) – APEC’s overarchinggoal is to promote people– and business-centered development, stated PresidentDai Quang in his keynote speech delivered at the opening session of the APECCEO Summit 2017 in the central city of Da Nang on November 8.
The following is the full text of the speech.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the State and people ofViet Nam, I have the great pleasure to warmly welcome you all to the APEC CEOSummit 2017 in the coastal city of Da Nang, a leading economic development hub inthe Central Viet Nam. This is the biggest event of this kind for the regionalbusiness community as it is attended by leaders of APEC member economies, representativesof international organizations and over 2,000 leading businesses. Your overwhelmingparticipation here today demonstrates your responsibility and commitment to joinhands in building an ever more prosperous Asia-Pacific. With the theme“Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future” and a rich and substantiveagenda, I am convinced that the Summit will open up great opportunities forcooperation and development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Throughout nearly 3 decades of evolution,APEC has not only witnessed turning-point changes of the world but also beenpart of these changes. As a premier regional economic forum, APEC has recordedmany important achievements in economic and social development, and lifted hundredsof millions of people out of poverty. It has become the most effective economiccooperation mechanism in promoting the role of businesses and transforming the Asia-Pacificregion into a driver of global growth and integration as well as the incubatorof new ideas for the future. These achievements were not possible withoutcrucial contributions from the Asia-Pacific business community that yourepresent.
Thanksto the essential contributions of the businesses, from the world leadingenterprises to the MSMEs and woman-led businesses, the Asia-Pacific has become adriver of economic growth, and the hub of investment, science and technology, contributingto nearly 50% of the global investment, trade and almost 60% of GDP. The APEC business community also plays apioneering role in the development of new technology and energy industries,business cooperation, and next-generation trade and investment issues, bringingabout greater resources to better meet the people’s material and culturalneeds.
Onbehalf of the APEC Economic Leaders, I salute and deeply thank Asia-Pacificbusinesses for their immense contributions to the APEC economies over nearlythree decades.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Weare living in a rapidly changing world characterized by fundamental shifts. Peace,cooperation and development remain the prevailing trend, yet we are stillconfronted with many serious difficulties and challenges. Nearly 10 years haselapsed since the global economic and financial crisis. Economic recovery hasbecome firmer, but there remain potential mid-term and long-term risks. Given thedeepening globalization and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the benefits ofgrowth and technological development have not been equally distributed. Hundredsof millions of people in our region still live in poverty with unprecedentedimpacts of climate change and natural disasters.
Yet, our region is blessed with vastpotentials in economics, culture, history, natural resources, particularlyhuman resources. Hence, we have every reason to believe in a bright regionaloutlook. Our region is home to more than half of the world’s top 20 economiesand is expected to account for 70% of the world’s GDP by 2050. With the determination of the businesscommunity and member economies, APEC can reach higher and go further, bringingabout greater prosperity to the people in the region and materializing theprediction that the 21st century is “the Asia-Pacific Century”.
During the past years, particularlyover nearly a year of the APEC 2017, Viet Nam has worked with other membereconomies to develop and implement a wide range of meaningful cooperation programsand activities for the people and businesses on human resource development inthe digital age, development of MSMEs, cross-border e-commerce facilitation,promotion of internet and digital economy and financial, economic and socialinclusion. Our overarching goal is to promote people – and business-centered development.
For APEC to remain the champion ofregional economic integration, we hope that the Asia-Pacific business communitywill continue to play an important role in helping governments addressfollowing issues:
First, our top priority is to generatefurther the momentum of global economic integration and recovery, uphold itsleading role in trade and investment liberalization, and fulfill the BogorGoals by 2020. Public-private partnership should be strengthened to promotecomprehensive and inclusive connectivity, develop quality infrastructure, and enhancesupply chain connectivity as well as next-generation trade and investmentissues.
From this Forum, I would like urgebusinesses to enhance cooperation and support member economies in promotinginvestment in education and training so that our economies and employees canbetter adapt to the new economic environment. In the long term, investing in thepeople will help ensure social consensus on trade and investment liberalization.This is a pre-requisite for businesses to take advantage of opportunities fromglobalization and expanding their investment and trade on the global scale.
Second, APEC needs to bolsterefforts to ensure the inclusiveness of growth. We need to turn “economicmiracles” into “inclusive development miracles” in our region and APEC shouldcontinue to play a leading role in the implementation of the United Nations’ SustainableDevelopment Goals. Businesses need to place greater emphasis on socialresponsibility, make active contributions to building resilient and inclusivecommunities, ensuring food-water-energy security, infusing entrepreneurship, furtheringwomen’s economic empowerment, and supporting MSMEs in gaining a strongerfoothold in the global market.
Third, to foster a shared future, allof you as well as millions of other businesses in the region need to makeactive contributions to the development and realization of the post-2020 APEC Visionon building a peaceful, stable, dynamic, integrated and prosperousAsia-Pacific. With the contributions and practical experience of businesses, wecan develop a comprehensive and inclusive vision for the region, which ensuresthe interests of the people and businesses. This also provides the fundamentalsfor the sustainable development of the APEC economies and business community inthe future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
VietNam has scored enormous successes in its 30 years of renovation and nearly 20years its membership in APEC. From a less developed country, Viet Nam hasbecome a developing middle-income economy, and an important link in the networkof 16 Free Trade Agreements. As an economy with a high level of openness, thefuture of 90 million Vietnamese people is increasingly linked to the future ofthe Asia-Pacific. Many APEC member economies will continue to be among VietNam’s biggest investors and leading trade partners.
In the years ahead, Viet Nam willcontinue to carry out the comprehensive reform with three strategicbreakthroughs to improve market economy institutions, promote quality humanresource development, and develop a modern infrastructure system. At the sametime, we need to focus on transforming the growth model, developing knowledgeeconomy and advanced technology, modernizing agriculture, supportingindustries, maritime economy and tourism. We also place importance onfine-tuning the institutional, policy and legal frameworks, protecting theenvironment, providing an enabling business environment for all sectors,releasing all potentials of businesses, enhancing law enforcement and upholdingthe rule of law.
Along with the comprehensive renovation,Viet Nam continues to deepen its international integration and make activecontributions to multilateral mechanisms. After 11 years, this is the secondtime Viet Nam has the honour to be the host of APEC, representing a vividexample of our commitment in the international arena. The State and people ofViet Nam always highly value the support of the APEC business community to Vietnamduring our 30 years of renovation. Many business people present here today havecome to our country from the first days of our open-door policy. We thank you foryour support to help us overcome difficulties and challenges over the last 3decades and make such achievements that you can see today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As abusiness community with the high level of adaptability, the APEC businesseswill certainly continue to prosper amidst a time of strong volatility. We hopethat you will continue working with us to generate new momentum for regionalgrowth and integration, so that the future of the world in the 21st century would truly begin in the Asia-Pacific.
On that note, I am convinced thatthe APEC CEO Summit 2017 will be a great success and will further contribute tocooperation and integration in APEC.
On this occasion, I hope that youwill take some time to visit Da Nang city and the world cultural heritage sitesof Viet Nam such as Cham Tower in the My Son Sanctuary, the Complex of HueMonuments, and particularly Hoi An Ancient Town, which has made its name on theworld’s nautical chart since the 17th century as one of the mostbustling trading ports of the region.
I wish you all good health,happiness and success.
Thank you very much!”-VNA
