Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang has left the US after attending the 19^th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Hawaii. With its consistent policy of closely cooperating with the Asia Pacific region and APEC, Vietnam contributed significantly to strengthening the connectivity of APEC and the negotiation of the Trans Pacific Partnership. Vietnam has played an active role in the APEC Leaders’ Week, proposing specific measures to strengthen APEC cooperation and connectivity, narrow development gaps and assist sub-region cooperation programs and poverty reduction projects. Vietnam also initiated several measures to increase cooperation in the Mekong Sub-region, sustainable rural development, clean technology transfer, marine rescue and helping APEC countries cope with natural disasters. APEC members praised Vietnam’s proposal on strengthening APEC’s contributions to international efforts to promote the UN Green Economy Initiative and connecting regional and ASEAN cooperation programs. The meeting also supported Vietnam as host of the sixth APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Conference in 2014.

President Truong Tan Sang was applauded by APEC economies and businesses at the APEC Business Advisory Council when covering issues relating to regional economic integration, sustainable development, small and medium sized enterprises and job generation. President Sang said that Vietnamese SMEs contributed 60% of the GDP and generated 90% of all jobs. He introduced proposals on financial assistance, technological reform, human resource development and administrative reforms to encourage SMEs to participate in supply chains and public services. APEC economies and businesses highlighted and supported Vietnam’s determination to pursue renewal and its efforts to stabilise the macro-economy, conduct economic restructuring, curb inflation and create favourable conditions for foreign companies to invest and operate in Vietnam.

During the 19^th APEC Leaders’ Week, President Sang and his entourage held bilateral meetings with a number of heads of state and leaders of APEC countries, including the US President and Secretary of State, the Chinese, Russian, Chilean, and Peruvian Presidents and the Australian Prime Minister. The Vietnamese President also met 11 leaders of the Southern Pacific states for the first time.

All partners voiced their support for Vietnam’s renewal policy and broader international integration and affirmed their efforts to promote bilateral cooperation and friendship. At the meetings, leaders agreed on measures to bolster cooperation between Vietnam, especially in economics, trade and coordination on issues of mutual concern and within the framework of APEC and other multilateral forums. On this occasion, Vietnam signed a free trade agreement with Chile and an agreement with Peru on cooperation and mutual assistance in the customs service. The efforts of the Vietnamese delegation at the 19^th APEC Leaders’ Week contributed to the success of the event, raised Vietnam’s international position and deepened the country’s relations with regional partners.