The Vietnamese delegation to the event comprises representatives of the ministries of Industry and Trade, and Foreign Affairs, and the office of the intersectoral steering committee for international integration.

An overview of APEC SOM 1.

Within the framework of SOM 1, there were many important workshops and policy dialogues, including high-level multi-party ones on APEC’s post-2020 vision.

Host Malaysia has selected the theme of “Optimising Human Potential towards a Future of Shared Prosperity,” for APEC 2020, and outlined three priorities for its Chairmanship, namely improving the narrative of trade and investment, inclusive economic participation through digital economy and technology, and driving innovative sustainability.

The agenda of SOM 1 was based on the three priorities, focusing on such issues as accelerating regional economic integration, reviewing the realisation of Bogor goals and building APEC’s post-2020 vision that will be submitted to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for November.

The delegates looked into preparations for the Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting and the Tourism Ministers Meeting slated for April, and the Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting in August.

They shared the views on APEC’s contributions to the multilateral trade system in the context of the 25th founding anniversary of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the upcoming 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC 12).

The ministers paid special attention to initiatives regarding digital economy and technology.

On the sidelines of SOM 2, Malaysia is scheduled to organise a digital week from April 12-19. Also in April, the Digital Economy Steering Group will convened their first meeting in the year to discuss in detail the implementation of the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap.

ASEAN Para Games delayed indefinitely

The ASEAN Para Games in the Philippines have been delayed indefinitely because of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to the Vietnam Paralympic Association (VPA).

Third ASEAN graphic arts competition to take place in Hanoi

The third ASEAN Graphic Arts Competition and Exhibition is scheduled to take place in Hanoi in August as one among a series of important cultural and art events in 2020, the Vietnam’s ASEAN chairmanship year.

ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat opens in Hanoi

The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat) officially opened in Hanoi on February 19 morning, under the chair of Vietnam’s Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich.

Ton Duc Thang University ranked in top 10 ASEAN universities

Ton Duc Thang University, which announced 2,130 scientific research projects, is among the top 10 higher education institutions in Southeast Asia in terms of the number of works published on ISI journal, according to data of the Web of Science database (US) in 2019.

ASEAN Chairman issues statement on responding to COVID-19

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, as Chairman of ASEAN in 2020, issued a statement on ASEAN’s joint response to the outbreak of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), in the face of complicated development of the epidemic.

Source: VNA