Over the past 25 years, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC has proved a leading economic cooperation mechanism in the region and the world, directing trade and investment liberalisation processes, while bolstering collaboration and cooperation for peace and growth. APEC consists of 21 dynamic economies in the region with a population of about 2.5 billion, roughly 39 percent of the world’s population, and contributing 57 percent to the world’s GDP. Hosting the  APEC year 2017 is considered Vietnam’s most important contribution to the forum in the new context of the goal of “creating a new dynamism, fostering a shared future”, peace, growth and prosperity.