After returning from the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Conference in Busan, South Korea, Mr. Hoang Van Dung, First Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), had a talk with Vietnam Business Forum (VIB Forum) Magazine on contents of the ABAC Conference and the APEC CEO Summit recently held in South Korea and specially in Vietnam in 2006.
Can you reveal main contents of the recent ABAC Conference in Busan, South Korea?
ABAC is the APEC Business Advisory Council set up in 1996 under the decision of APEC Economic Leaders. ABAC represents APEC business community to consult APEC Leaders to present recommendations to develop the regional cooperation. VCCI is currently holding the co-chairmanship of the ABAC 2005 and will hold the chairmanship of the ABAC 2006. With such a status, VCCI actively took part in ABAC Meeting in Busan and the Dialogue between the ABAC and the APEC Leaders. The contents of the meeting between ABAC members and the Dialogue focused on putting forward recommendations to the APEC Leaders to add more efforts for the successful completion of the Doha Development Agenda Negotiations to significantly advance progress towards their achievement of the Bogor Goals of the APEC. The contents also concentrated on APEC’s further efforts to exceed negotiations in WTO, on the further trade and investment liberalisation, on necessities to innovate APEC modes of activities, on responses to avian flu pandemics, and on solutions to APEC economies in the circumstance of soaring energy prices.
At this year’s meeting, VCCI officially acceded to the ABAC 2006 Chairmanship. VCCI asked APEC members to support Vietnam’s accession to WTO and help Vietnam organise APEC 2006 meetings in Hanoi. Besides, VCCI also contributed suggestions to make the business and investment environment more favourable. In general, all APEC members supported Vietnam’s entry to WTO.
On this occasion, VCCI signed a cooperative agreement with the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the business step-ups between the two business communities.
As a chairman of the ABAC 2006, which proposals does VCCI present to APEC members at the meeting?
The goals of ABAC’s activities are aimed at building a favourable business environment and help enterprises to do business in the APEC membership countries. By 2010, APEC will set up a free trade area among developed nations, and by 2020, all remaining members of the APEC, including Vietnam, will join the free trade area. Basing on subjects of the meeting and priorities of Vietnam, at the meetings in Busan, VCCI proposed ABAC to focus on assisting the implementation of WTO goals and trade liberation and facilitation in the region. The pursuance of Bogor Goals concerning trade facilitation has gained commitments stronger than the rules of the WTO. The contents of the Doha Development Agenda Negotiations need to guarantee rights and interests of developing countries. Vietnam has not yet become a full member of the WTO and, therefore, this forum is a good chance to canvass APEC members to more actively support Vietnam to conclude WTO negotiations.
ABAC also had active initiatives to set up a favourable business environment through the fight of corruption and the establishment of good business practices and orient enterprises to take part in activities to guarantee security and prevent terrorist activities. However, these activities need guaranteeing favourable conditions for commercial activities and avoiding the emergence of more hardships and complicated formalities. Vietnam has joined the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Programme, which enables businesspeople to travel in the region more easily. Under this programme, entrepreneurs can work in seven countries, which inked the programme, in three years.
Basing on the development progress of Vietnam, ABAC Vietnam also proposed the APEC to concentrate on considering ABAC’s proposals about improving competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, assisting developing countries to integrate into the region, and stepping up cooperation between small and medium enterprises in underdeveloped countries with multinational companies in the region through the APEC’s economic and technical cooperation (Ecotech) programmes and competitive build-up programme.
Besides, ABAC Vietnam put forward the possibility of applying information technology to narrow the gap between developing countries and developed ones and foster business cooperation. ABAC Vietnam also raised issues of great concerns at the meeting such as economic security, knowledge economy, e-commerce, Ecotech and tourism cooperation promotion. At the same time, ABAC Vietnam also accelerated the cooperation between chambers of commerce inside APEC and assistance for enterprises in developing country to enter the global economy.
At this year’s meeting, Vietnam officially accepted the host of the APEC CEO Summit 2006. Can you tell main contents and targets of this summit?
At the ABAC and CEO Summit 2005 meetings, Vietnam officially acceded to the chairmanship of ABAC and announced the host of the APEC CEO Summit 2006 in Vietnam. Chairman of VCCI Vu Tien Loc attended the APEC CEO Summit 2005 and officially invited business leaders to attend the APEC CEO Summit 2006 in Vietnam.
Apart from the APEC 2006, Vietnam will organize World CEO Summit, which is expected to draw the participation of many APEC leaders and 500 business leaders of the world’s leading firms in the region. This is a good chance for Vietnam to advertise and promote trade and investment between Vietnam and APEC member countries.
In October 2006, prior to events, VCCI will organize APEC Chambers of Commerce Conference in Ho Chi Minh City.
Reported by Tuan Anh
Vietnamese
