Autumn Economic Forum 2025: Green and digital transformation as the mandate of the era
WVR - On November 26, the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 officially opened at Thisky Hall Conference Center, Ho Chi Minh City. The event is directly overseen by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, hosted by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with the Fourth Industrial Revolution Center and various agencies, ministries, and the World Economic Forum (WEF).
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The Forum is honoured by the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; Nguyen Van Nen, Standing Member of the 14th National Party Congress Document Subcommittee; Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son; Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the National Assembly's Economic and Financial Committee; Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Policy and Strategy; Vu Hai Quan, Permanent Deputy Minister of Science and Technology; Trinh Manh Linh, Deputy Chief of the Government Office; Nguyen Minh Hang, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; along with many ministry leaders, local leaders, approximately 30 officials from diplomatic representative missions in Vietnam; representatives from a number of countries; as well as experts, scientists, and over 500 enterprises in the fields of science, high technology, and innovation.
Additionally, the forum is attended by 70 delegations from innovation centers and major corporations, 6 delegations from international ministries (Australia, China, Kuwait, Malaysia…), 8 delegations from international localities, 7 delegations from major international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and 10 global Fourth Industrial Revolution Centers (C4IR)…
The diversity of participants is a testament to the Forum's prestige and status, creating a comprehensive strategic dialogue platform with high professional value, promoting multinational cooperation in the fields of green economy, digital, and innovation.
Green transformation in the digital dra is an inevitable trend
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed Vietnam's three consistent and overarching viewpoints on green transformation in the digital era. (Source: BTC) |
In his directive speech at the Forum, on behalf of General Secretary To Lam, the leadership of the Party and State of Vietnam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh warmly welcomed and commended the leaders and representatives of international and Vietnamese agencies, corporations, and enterprises for attending this important and meaningful event. This forum is not only a significant international event but also marks the beginning of a new promising journey in Vietnam's path of development cooperation and international integration. For peace, stability, cooperation, development, and economic recovery in the region and the world.
According to the Prime Minister, the world today is witnessing political polarization, economic separation, institutional fragmentation, and developmental disparities. Global economic growth has slowed post-Covid-19 pandemic and has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Global government debt is high. World trade is declining. Supply chains are disrupted. Business production stagnation is reducing employment and livelihoods.
This context presents many complex challenges but also increasingly open opportunities. More than ever, it requires nations to unite for strength; cooperate to create resources; share and dialogue to build and strengthen trust; thereby jointly building a prosperous, sustainable future. Particularly, in this situation, green transformation in the digital era is an inevitable trend, an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for rapid and sustainable development of each nation, each enterprise, and the world.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed Vietnam's three consistent and overarching viewpoints on green transformation in the digital era:
Firstly, all development is centered on people, citizens, and businesses as the core, the subject, the goal, the motivation, and the resource. The process of green transformation in the digital era must aim for deep, inclusive international solidarity, helping people to be more prosperous, safer, and happier.
Secondly, Vietnam is a good friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community in the process of green transformation in the digital era. Persistently pursuing an independent, self-reliant foreign policy for peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralization, and diversification. Always ready to be a friend, a reliable partner to all countries worldwide. Vietnam also commits to seriously implementing the millennium goals and net-zero emissions by 2050 as pledged in Glasgow a few years ago. Vietnam is ready to open its market, establish a legal corridor to welcome green capital flows, green technology, and digital technology from international partners and businesses.
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| Overview of the opening ceremony. (Source: Organizing Board) |
Thirdly, resources originate from thinking and vision. Motivation comes from innovation and creativity. Strength comes from the people and businesses. It is necessary to combine national strength with the strength of the era. Domestic strength with international strength. The strength of the state with the strength of the private sector.
"To achieve the above viewpoints, we focus on implementing solutions in the spirit of 'Open institutions, seamless infrastructure, smart governance, common practices, and cooperation together'", Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed.
Additionally, according to the Prime Minister, the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 is a solemn event, clearly demonstrating the convergence of intelligence, vision, action, and sharing, spreading the benefits of Vietnam along with the international community. The forum being held in Ho Chi Minh City also demonstrates the city's commitment to striving to become a pioneering model of Vietnam in digital transformation, green transformation, and circular economy; creating a breakthrough growth engine, developing rapidly and sustainably with the nation.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh believes that the opinions, initiatives, and commitments shared at the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 will not stop within the framework of speeches but will continue to create inspirational momentum, spread, and be realized through practical actions, sparking many new cooperation prospects and concrete actions. Thereby, jointly creating a future of green development, digital development, and humanity for everyone, for humanity.
Placing people at the centre, goal, and motivation for development
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| Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang emphasized that green and digital transformation is no longer a trend but has become the mandate of the era. (Source: Organizing Board) |
In his opening remarks at the forum, Mr. Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, emphasized that the world is moving at an unprecedented speed, as growth models, supply chains, and global economic structures are being reshaped towards green - digital - sustainable. Simultaneously, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, biotechnology, and new materials are creating a completely different development space, with science, technology, and innovation becoming the decisive driving force in all fields.
In this context, according to Mr. Tran Luu Quang, green and digital transformation is no longer a trend but has become the mandate of the era, the key to ensuring competitiveness, energy security, environment, and quality of life for the people. With the overarching viewpoint of "placing people at the center, goal, and motivation for development", Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular identify this as an objective requirement and a strategic priority for rapid and sustainable growth.
The Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee stated that after the merger, the City named after Uncle Ho has become a convergence point of the three most dynamic growth poles in the country, carrying the aspiration to rise to become a modern, dynamic city with global competitiveness. The city aims to lead in green transformation, smart urban development, attracting high-tech investment, and building an International Financial Center - the foundation to become a leading economic, financial, technology, and service center in the region.
To achieve this goal, Ho Chi Minh City identifies three strategic breakthroughs: Perfecting institutions, developing synchronized infrastructure, and improving the quality of human resources.
Above all, the City has persistently built and elevated the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum into the Autumn Economic Forum. This creates an annual dialogue mechanism, where experts, leaders, and businesses "with heart and vision" gather to contribute and suggest solutions for the development of the city and the country.
Mr. Tran Luu Quang stated that with the close direction of the Government and close coordination with the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 meets the conditions to become a space to realize the aspiration for innovation, promote specific action programs, in the spirit of discussing together – working together – spreading together.
He believes that the Autumn Economic Forum will become an important bridge between policymakers, the business community, investors, and researchers; and will also become a "distinctive brand" of Ho Chi Minh City - a knowledge economy center and a meeting space for pioneering initiatives, towards a greener, smarter, and more sustainable future.
The Secretary of the Party Committee also affirmed that in the new competitive phase, any country or city that lags even a step risks being left behind. Therefore, he calls on the Government, businesses, and academia to view the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 as a commitment to action with clear goals, specific timelines, and transparent results; while expressing hope that the event will open up strong cooperation opportunities, creating more momentum for the City and Vietnam to break through in digital transformation, green transformation, and sustainable development.
Enhancing Vietnam-Japan cooperation to modernize the industry
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| Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki conveyed Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's congratulations to the Autumn Economic Forum 2025. (Source: Organizing Board) |
Also during the opening ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki read a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to the Autumn Economic Forum 2025. Accordingly, during her first official visit after taking office as Japan's Prime Minister to attend the ASEAN Summit, she and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh agreed on further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The theme of this Autumn Economic Forum is "Green Transformation in the Digital Era", which is also one of the areas Japan wishes to enhance cooperation with ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.
According to Prime Minister Takaichi, currently in Vietnam, more than 2,000 Japanese enterprises are operating, and Ho Chi Minh City hosts the largest Japanese community and Japanese businesses in Vietnam.
In recent years, along with the remarkable economic development of Ho Chi Minh City, which is increasingly attractive not only as a production center but also as a consumer market, and also aiming to become an international financial center, the fields attracting foreign enterprises, including Japanese businesses, to invest in the City are becoming more diverse.
Prime Minister Takaichi affirmed that although the global economy is currently facing many uncertainties, this is an opportunity for Japan and Vietnam - which are closely coordinating in the supply chain - to further promote cooperation to modernize the industry and enhance the resilience of Vietnam's industry. Japan will participate through public-private cooperation in the process of modernizing Vietnam's industry, including high-tech and carbon reduction sectors.
Regarding energy cooperation - carbon reduction between Japan and Vietnam, through projects within the AZEC framework and 15 carbon reduction projects with a total investment of approximately 20 billion USD that both sides agreed upon in April 2025, Prime Minister Takaichi hopes these projects will be implemented securely and contribute to green transformation not only for Vietnam but for the entire Asia region.
Additionally, Prime Minister Takaichi expressed deep condolences for the victims who lost their lives and extended deepest sympathies to the families of those severely affected by the storms and major floods that consecutively hit the South Central region of Vietnam, causing significant human and material losses.
Also on the morning of November 26, a plenary dialogue session took place with contributions from Mr. Stephan Mergenthaler, Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer, WEF; Ms. Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam; Mr. Brand Cheng, Chairman and CEO of Foxconn Industrial Internet; Professor Young Sup Joo, Emeritus Professor at Seoul National University, former Minister of SMEs and Startups of Korea; Mr. Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS).
The plenary session aimed to clarify the action strategy of "dual transformation", with a central focus on placing people at the center in the fast-paced development of science and technology, while analyzing new industrial trends, the role of AI, automation, and green technology in enhancing productivity and restructuring the value chain. Thereby, setting the need to clarify the global prospects of the smart economic model, pointing out the benefits to be seized and the risks Vietnam needs to prepare for, thereby proposing ways to build a smart, transparent, and sustainable mega-city model for the country.
| Originating from the national strategic vision, concretized in Resolution 57 dated December 22, 2024, of the Politburo, Vietnam identifies the development of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the top important breakthroughs to create a sustainable, prosperous, and powerful future in the new era. From this key policy and other resolutions and policies, the theme "Green Transformation in the Digital Era" of the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 becomes a practical content attracting lively discussions from domestic and international guests and speakers. This year's forum features many key activities over three days from November 25-27, gathering over 1,500 domestic and international delegates. From the forum, institutions, solutions, and practical experiences are gathered to form a launchpad for macro policies and international-scale cooperation. The forum elevates to become a strategic connection center between economies and the global innovation network, enhancing the reputation and status of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City on the international stage. |
