Vietnam has reiterated its strong commitment to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and outlined its vision and plans as it prepares to host the summit in 2027.
As part of a delegation led by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc during a visit to Russia and attendance at the 29th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang on Friday joined a panel discussion titled “Russia-APEC: Broad Cooperation Prospects on the Horizon until 2035.”
The discussion gathered Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin, China’s 2026 APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting Chairman Chen Xu, APEC Secretariat Executive Director Eduardo Pedrosa, as well as representatives of major Russian companies and investment funds.
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Reinforcing APEC’s role
During her remarks, Hang highlighted that the Asia-Pacific has remained a key driver of global economic growth over the past 30 years.
She attributed this progress to deeper economic integration, open trade and investment policies, innovation, and sustained regional cooperation.
Acknowledging APEC’s significant contributions to regional growth, connectivity, and sustainable development, Hang said the forum should continue serving as the central platform for economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Key priorities
Hang outlined three main priorities for APEC: promoting free and open trade and investment; strengthening economic and supply chain resilience; and leveraging science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and the green transition to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.
She also stressed the need for closer coordination between APEC and other regional and global mechanisms, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Group of 20, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Eurasian Economic Union, to enhance efficiency and better address shared challenges.
Hang added that Vietnam is actively allocating resources and making preparations for its role as APEC 2027 host.
Vietnam also expressed readiness to work with China as APEC 2026 host, as well as other member economies, to advance cooperation for regional peace, prosperity, and long-term development.
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