(VOVworld) - The 18th national conference on external affairs, which took place in Hanoi on Sunday, focused on localities’ work economic integration. 

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh urged provinces and cities to work closely with the central government to organize major international events, including the APEC meetings in 2017. He said localities should consider these events as opportunities to promote  their images, and boost trade, investment and tourism. Mr. Minh asked Vietnamese representative offices abroad to help localities in choosing investors and to inform them of possible trade disputes or incompetent investors. Localities were urged to implement foreign relations activities, and protect citizens overseas. Deputy Prime Minister Minh called on localities to improve human resource development to meet the new demands for external affairs.