The 24th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting took place here Friday, seeking measures to sharpen competitive edges of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the digital age.
Themed “Strengthening MSMEs’ Competitiveness and Innovation in the Digital Age,” the meeting in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City was attended by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, ministers from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)’s member economies, and economic experts from international organizations.
Addressing the meeting, the Vietnamese prime minister said its theme is one of four priorities of APEC 2017 with three others including promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; deepening regional economic integration; and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change.
Delegates to the meeting explored ways of facilitating enterprises’ access to markets, and deeper integration in global value chains, and creating more favorable business conditions for MSMEs’ establishment and development in the digital age.
Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said state agencies in charge of assisting MSMEs should catch up with digital trends to accelerate their startups and innovations.
According to some delegates, changes in technology in terms of cloud, connectivity, artificial intelligence and big data are creating huge opportunities for every startup, in every sector.
