(VOVworld) - The first session of the national committee for the 2017 APEC Summit opened in Hanoi on Tuesday following its inception.

 

The committee was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh with two deputies from the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. They discussed major plans for the year and the roadmap towards the APEC summit in 2 years time. The committee, which consisted of leaders from 25 ministries and cities, will coordinate Vietnam’s hosting of the APEC summit in 2017. Addressing the launch ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung praised Vietnam’s hosting of APEC events as a new step forward in international integration, the promotion of the nation’s image and the stimulation of economic development. It will offer an opportunity to strengthen Vietnam’s relations with its APEC partners and free trade agreement signatories. He called for thorough preparation in terms of protocol, facilities, logistics, security and health services to ensure a successful APEC year 2017.