There are two important events during the APEC week in Hanoi in November. The first is the meeting of APEC leaders to discuss regional, global economic issues and economic cooperation among APEC economies. The second event belongs to APEC business circles, and is considered the largest gathering of leading APEC entrepreneurs.

During this time, the business circle will participate in the conference of the APEC business consultancy council and the summit of APEC chief executive officers (CEO Summit). In addition, to take advantage of the first gathering of the world’s leading businessmen in Vietnam, we will organise a large forum on investment and business with Vietnam, in which Vietnam will play the role of the latest member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This is Vietnam’s initiative.

Many enterprises said that it is very difficult, even impossible for them to register for attendance in the CEO Summit and the forum, why?

Owing to limited logistic conditions, mainly the shortage of hotels, we can’t invite many companies to take part in the event. To help all domestic enterprises to have access to this event, apart from direct meetings, we will arrange indirect accession via a website. This website will post all information about products and investment projects of enterprises. During the APEC week, companies can visit the website to learn about the business environment in Vietnam. We will also give documents and VCDs introducing local companies to delegates. We will also organise particular programmes for delegations to survey the business and investment environment in some provinces and cities in Vietnam at their requests.

We will soon announce the list of foreign companies that will come to Vietnam on this occasion. Based on the list, local companies can identify suitable partners, and then tell the organising board and we will inform the foreign partners. In case foreign partners want to meet any Vietnamese company, we will also help them. This means that VCCI is ready to take the role of a ‘match-maker’ to help both sides use this opportunity to meet.

What is the message that Vietnam will deliver at the three big conferences of the APEC business circles?

The theme of the APEC business community is turning this region into a community for cooperation to develop and to promote economic reforms in member economies. The business circles request leaders to resume the Doha round, heading to commercial liberalisation in the world.

As many countries are promoting the signing of free trade agreements, the APEC business community also requests that those countries don’t affect the business environment of APEC, to ensure a common market, and an APEC free trade area in the future.

The business circles also recommend APEC governments strengthen reforms on administrative, business and tariff formalities in order to cut transaction costs. APEC targets to cut down 5% of transaction costs by 2010. Other issues like energy security will be also discussed on this occasion.

The forum on investment and doing business with Vietnam is defined as the key event to introduce the Vietnamese economy to the world, during which, we will present the country’s international integration itinerary. Especially, as a new member of WTO, we affirm to do at our best to create a favourable business environment to welcome new waves of investment.

Will big contracts be signed on this occasion?

Vietnamese businesses now are ‘hunting’ strategic foreign partners. Meanwhile, foreign businesses are also seeking strategic partners in Vietnam to invest in. I think the APEC week is a big opportunity for local companies to seek and establish ties with strategic partners to enhance their competitiveness in the context of integration.

What will VCCI do after APEC to encourage foreign investment in Vietnam?

To strengthen relations with APEC economies as well as key markets of Vietnam, we have proposed the government form joint business forums with APEC economies.

Around 1,000 CEOs from 21 APEC member economies will participate in the CEO Summit. Among them are CEOs of top world groups like Boeing, FedEx, GM, AIG, Microsoft, Citigroup, DHL, AT&T, HSBC and Visa. 

The topic of the APEC CEO Summit 2006 will be “Toward the community, creating new opportunities for development”. During the summit, seven issues will be discussed: promoting creativeness for social and economic development, the challenge of maintaining economic reforms, narrowing the economic gap between APEC members, strengthening assistance to develop small- and medium-sized enterprises, developing information and communications technology, business administration: opportunities and challenges, and FDI attraction. 

Apart from speeches delivered by CEOs, some chiefs of state will be invited to talk about issues concerning the world and the region. Organisers said that five of 14 APEC chiefs of state have agreed to participate at the event.

VCCI will choose around 200 Vietnamese companies to attend the CEO Summit and the forum on doing business with Vietnam.

Source: Tuoi Tre, TBKTVN