APEC: Right time to push foreign policy towards complete internationalisation
Professor Guillermo Perez Cena from the Faculty of Foreign Affairs at Argentina’s 21st Century University was interviewed by the Vietnam News Agency in Đà Nẵng City.
Professor Guillermo Perez Cena. (Source: Diệu Hương/Vietnam+)
Hosting the multilateral Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events is a challenge for Việt Nam as the bloc is facing difficulties in promoting connections among its member economies, he said during the interview.
This is a good time for Việt Nam to push its foreign policy towards complete internationalisation, for two reasons, he added.
First, Việt Nam has the fastest developing economy in Southeast Asia in recent years with a major focus on a digital economy, the professor noted.
Second, Việt Nam’s economic growth has been largely supported by small and medium enterprises, which reflects these enterprises’ enthusiastic contributions to the country, he added.
The country is pursuing an impressive foreign policy for economic development. It is such a friendly policy that plays an active role in APEC, Prof. Cena said.
Regarding ties between Việt Nam and Argentina, the professor said Argentina’s foreign policies have geared towards Southeast Asia in the last two years, in the context of Argentina wanting to join the Pacific Alliance bloc, whose three of four countries are APEC member economies.
Argentina has also approached Asian countries, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and several other economic deals, he said.
As a member of Mercosur – an economic organisation in South America – Argentina has paid attention to Southeast Asian markets, the professor added. Mercosur members will carry out numerous cooperative deals with the region’s enterprises, including those from Việt Nam and Indonesia.
Regarding the prospects of a TPP agreement following the withdrawal of the United States, Prof. Cena said a bilateral agreement with the United States will be more important to Việt Nam outside of the TPP framework. However, a TPP agreement will help Việt Nam solidify its economic connections with the 11 remaining countries, promoting micro-economic development and harnessing macro-economic potential.
The professor said he believes the United States will continue its negotiating policy towards expanding trade and economic relations with Southeast Asian countries.
