Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – Vietnam has suggestedthe establishment of a network of APEC women entrepreneurs during a dialoguethat was part of the 2017 APEC Women and the Economy Forum in Hue city,Vietnam’s central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam WomenEntrepreneurs Council (VWEC), told press outlets on the fringe of the eventthat in her speech, she expressed her hope for the foundation of an associationor a network of businesswomen in APEC.

The ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN), a similar organisationinitiated by Vietnam, was set up in April 2014. Minh said she is ready to shareher experience in the establishment of AWEN.

She noted that an APEC women entrepreneurs’ network shouldbe chaired on a rotational basis since this is a “common playground” and allneed to work together. To play an active role, all economies must rotationallyhold the chairmanship.

“Only when all 21 economies engage in, will such a networkbecome successful,” she noted.

Minh said though she has yet to receive any response atofficial sessions, many delegates told her on the sidelines that it is a goodidea of Vietnam because when they participate in a network, they will gain preciousinformation and experiences.

She noted representatives of the Women’s Entrepreneurship inAPEC (WE-APEC) initiative said they are ready to help turn this idea intoreality.

The feasibility of this idea still depends on the 21 membereconomies, the VWEC leader added, voicing her belief that people will welcomethis idea positively.

Established in1989, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) comprises 21 economies,including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China),Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, PapuaNew Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand,the US, and Vietnam.

They account for39 percent of the world population, 57 percent of the world GDP and 47 percentof the global trade, according to statistics in 2014.-VNA