The Ultimate Vietnamese Economic Zone: Attracting 21 Economies, Under the Vigilant Eye of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Bimonthly Inspections

Yesterday (August 21st), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son chaired the first meeting of the APEC 2027 National Committee at the Government Headquarters.

This meeting aimed to review the progress of the establishment and improvement of the Sub-Committees and the Secretariat; determine the roadmap for tasks from now until 2027; and inspect the preparation and implementation of infrastructure projects in the provinces and cities hosting APEC events, especially in Phu Quoc (the largest special district in Vietnam, located in An Giang province), where the APEC 2027 Summit will take place.

The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that hosting APEC 2027 is a crucial political and diplomatic task and an opportunity for Vietnam to promote its role and responsibilities, asserting its strategic position in shaping the new international economic order.

Given its importance, the Deputy Prime Minister requested that APEC 2027 be organized successfully in all aspects, from content to protocol, logistics, publicity, and cultural activities. Especially, the organization must create a profound impression of Vietnam and bring practical benefits to its people and businesses, contributing to peace, prosperity, and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Emphasizing the vast amount of work to be done, the Deputy Prime Minister urged the urgent completion of the establishment and improvement of the five Sub-Committees and the Secretariat by August 2025; along with the issuance of regulations, the construction of a work program for 2025, and the entire 2025-2027 period in early September.

Meanwhile, the ministries and sectors that are members of the APEC 2025 National Committee actively participate in the activities of APEC 2025 in South Korea and APEC 2026 in China. This also demonstrates support and promotes issues of Vietnam’s concern, forming a basis for the best preparation for APEC 2027.

Regarding An Giang province, the Deputy Prime Minister appreciated the province’s determination and proactive spirit in implementing infrastructure projects for APEC, emphasizing that infrastructure projects, especially the Conference Center, must be completed three to six months in advance.

In addition to physical infrastructure, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that An Giang province allocate land for the construction of the APEC Park, a space to display artworks and cultural products of APEC member economies, following the usual practice, creating a tourist attraction for the locality.

The Deputy Prime Minister will inspect the site every 2-3 months

Previously, in the afternoon of August 20, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung chaired a meeting with ministries, sectors, and An Giang province to review and inspect the implementation of projects in preparation for the APEC 2027 Conference.

According to An Giang province’s report, public investment projects serving APEC have been allocated capital for implementation, with a total plan of over VND 4,216 billion in 2025 for nine projects. Of which, central budget capital is VND 2,751 billion, and local budget capital is VND 1,465 billion.

By August 5, VND 533.3 billion had been disbursed, reaching 12.65% of the plan. Specifically, the central budget capital reached VND 460.4 billion, accounting for 16.74% of the plan, and the local budget capital was nearly VND 72.9 billion, equaling 4.97% of the plan.

At the meeting, Mr. Ho Van Mung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang province, also mentioned some difficulties and obstacles in implementing the projects to serve the APEC 2027 Conference.

Especially, with the initial capital structure, it is very challenging to select investors, affecting the project’s progress. Therefore, An Giang province proposed adjusting the capital structure with 70% from the state budget and 30% from investors.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed concern that nearly two months after the on-site inspection and meeting on project implementation (on June 28), the actual situation of the ministries, sectors, and An Giang province is still slow.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested a strong commitment to the direction on implementing projects to serve APEC, which is of great importance and urgency. He asked for a high level of concentration and quick, quality implementation, striving to complete the projects and works three to six months in advance of the set schedule to have time for trial operation. Especially, we should aim to have impressive works to introduce to international friends and promote Phu Quoc’s development in the coming time.

In addition, the ministries and agencies seriously implement the reporting regime, once a month. After receiving reports from ministries, sectors, and localities, the Government Office will summarize and report to the Deputy Prime Minister and arrange a schedule for the Deputy Prime Minister to inspect the site every 2-3 months to grasp the situation, solve difficulties and problems, and urge the progress, as well as encourage investors, contractors, and localities.

Agencies, especially An Giang province, must draw experience in reporting, inspecting, and supervising assigned tasks, with the spirit of “say and do,” and “commit and implement.” They need to deploy projects as quickly and efficiently as possible, and to do so, determination and great effort are required.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) 2027 will be held in Phu Quoc, attracting 21 member economies and many countries worldwide. The forum is expected to help Phu Quoc improve its urban infrastructure, attract investment, and boost tourism and real estate growth.

Currently, there are 21 critical projects to serve APEC 2027, which An Giang is urgently implementing to ensure timely exploitation. Of these, ten are public investment projects, and the rest are implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and business investment forms.