Vietnam expects President Trump’s participation in APEC 2017

Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Pham Quang Vinh has expressed his hope that President Donald Trump would attend the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which will take place in Vietnam near the end of this year.

The Embassy of Vietnam in Washington D.C. on Friday (U.S. time) welcomed a delegation of over 70 advisors and assistants of the key offices and committees of U.S. Congress in the 115th term, who are involved in the nation’s foreign policies and relations with Asia and Vietnam.   

During the meeting, Ambassador Vinh extended his gratitude to the delegates for their great contributions to the enhancement of the bilateral relations in various fields between Vietnam and the U.S., and wished them success in the new tenure.

The Vietnamese diplomat asserted that Hanoi attaches importance to cementing its relationship with the new administration and Congress, and to further developing the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive partnership in a practical, effective, stable and long-term manner.

On behalf of Vietnamese leaders, Ambassador Vinh invited President Trump to attend the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders Meeting and hoped for his participation in the event.

The APEC is a regional economic forum established in 1989, comprising 21 member states, including Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam among others.

The forum is aimed at creating greater prosperity for the peoples of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth as well as accelerating regional economic integration.

Vietnam joined the forum in 1998 and successfully chaired APEC 2006, and the country is scheduled to host the 2017 gathering in the central city of Da Nang in November.

President Trump recently announced his trade strategy to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, to which Vietnam is party.

The trade pact includes 12 nations, namely Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Canada, Peru, Singapore, the U.S. (until January 23), and Vietnam.

Aimed at liberalizing commerce in 40 percent of the world’s economy, the TPP is now stuck at its ratification phase due to the withdrawal from the U.S.

Source tuoitrenews.vn