The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meetings, including the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the APEC Ministerial Meeting and the Chief Executive Officer (CEQ) Summit are being held in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Nov. 12-19.

Following are facts and figures relating to the meetings, the largest international event ever held in the country:

-- Some 10,000 Attendants:

Hanoi adorned with flamboyant flags and colored billboards highlighting the meetings is greeting some 10,000 guests, including most of leaders of 21 APEC member economies, and more than 2,000 foreign and local reporters to the event.

-- 64-hectare National Convention Center:

To host the meetings, Vietnam has built a national convention center with a cost of some 300 million U.S. dollars on 64 hectares of land with man-made lakes and hills. The new ship-shaped center, which is one of the biggest ones in the Southeast Asia, includes a 4,000 square-meter media center, a 3,800 seat-meeting room, and four car parks with combined capacity for nearly 1,000 vehicles.

-- 15,000 Police Force for Security:

About 15,000 policemen in Hanoi are on duty to ensure security and order during the meetings. The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security has also mobilized 800 officers and staff of mobile police teams, 220 others of special mission units to serve the event.

-- 115 Luxury Cars for Leaders and Ministers:

Vietnam has set aside 115 luxury cars branded Mercedes E-Class assembled in the country totaling some 12.4 million U.S. dollars to serve the leaders and ministers. In addition, the country has also mobilized some 1,300 other automobiles with 4-40 seats for the meetings' attendants.

-- Eight Five-Star Hotels for Heads of Delegations:

Eight five-star hotels in Hanoi have upgraded facilities and decorated themselves to receive leaders of the delegations.

-- Some 800 Volunteers:

Roughly 800 local volunteers, mostly students from Hanoi-based universities, have been mobilized for the event.

-- Costumes for the Heads of Delegations:

Special costumes designed by Vietnamese top fashion designer Minh Hanh have been prepared for the heads of delegations to the meeting. They are featured with lotus, a Vietnamese symbol.

-- Gifts for Leaders to the Meetings:

Skillful artisans have made portraits of 19 leaders of APE economies from 1,520 kilograms of gemstones to present them on the occasion.

Source: Xinhua