Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang: The Future of ASEAN will be shaped by its cities

Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang delivers the opening speech at the ASEAN Cities Leaders Conference 2026 on the afternoon of June 8. (Photo: Quang Hoa - Thanh Long)

On the afternoon of June 8, the ASEAN Cities Leaders Conference 2026 officially opened in Hanoi with the theme “Promoting the Future from Smart, Sustainable, and Connected Cities”, attracting leaders from many ASEAN cities, as well as international experts, organisations, and development partners.

Opening the conference, Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang emphasised that the presence of the delegates reflects the spirit of solidarity, cooperation, and the shared aspiration of ASEAN to build sustainable, prosperous cities centred on the people.

ASEAN is currently one of the most dynamically developing regions in the world. The strong urbanisation process is turning cities into centres of economic growth, innovation, and regional connectivity. However, cities are also facing many common challenges such as climate change, infrastructure pressure, environmental pollution, the need for digital transformation, and improving the quality of life for residents.

In this context, strengthening cooperation among ASEAN cities is not only a necessary demand but also a crucial driver to realise the vision of a resilient, innovative, and sustainably developing ASEAN Community.

With this year's conference theme, cities in the region have the opportunity to share experiences, exchange initiatives, and build new cooperation models to address common challenges while effectively leveraging opportunities from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the digital era.

As the capital of Vietnam with over a thousand years of history, Hanoi cherishes its historical values and unique cultural identity. At the same time, the city is making strong efforts to build a greener, smarter, more modern, and more livable city.

Hanoi identifies digital transformation as an important driver for development, focusing on building a digital government, digital economy, and digital society; promoting the application of artificial intelligence, big data, and advanced technologies to enhance urban governance efficiency, improve the quality of public services, and create a favourable environment for residents and businesses.

“However, we consistently hold the view that technology only truly matters when it serves people. People must be at the centre, the subject, and the beneficiaries of all urban development policies. This is also one of the important contents that ASEAN cities share and aim towards,” the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee stated.

Additionally, Hanoi is committed to promoting green growth, enhancing resilience to climate change, developing a sustainable transportation system, expanding green spaces, and preserving cultural values in the modernisation process.

Overview of the Conference. (Photo: Quang Hoa - Thanh Long)

“We believe that the future of ASEAN will be shaped by its cities – where resources, knowledge, technology, and the aspiration for innovation converge. No city can develop sustainably if it stands outside regional cooperation networks. Therefore, enhancing connectivity among ASEAN cities, sharing governance experiences, promoting economic, trade, investment cooperation, innovation, and people-to-people exchanges are key factors to create common strength for the entire region,” emphasised the Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi.

Simultaneously, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi expects that the conference discussions will bring many practical initiatives on smart urban governance, artificial intelligence applications, people-centred digital transformation, green urban development, and climate change adaptation; thereby opening up new cooperation opportunities among ASEAN cities in the future.

“Hanoi commits to continue being a reliable partner, an active and responsible member in ASEAN cooperation mechanisms. We wish to join cities in the region to build an increasingly connected, innovative, and sustainably developing ASEAN urban network; contributing positively to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region,” affirmed Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang.

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