The Autumn Economic Forum 2025 officially opened in Ho Chi Minh City under the direct guidance of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Viet Nam stands ready to engage in effective cooperation with all international partners on the principle of “harmonised interests and shared risks”, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated on November 26 at  the opening and plenary sessions of the Autumn Economic Forum 2025.

Themed “Green Transition in the Digital Era”, the forum, is jointly organised from November 24-30 by Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Economic Forum (WEF). It features a series of key events from November 25-27 and brings together more than 1,500 domestic and international delegates.

In his remarks, the Government leader described the forum as not only an important international event but also a milestone marking a new phase in Viet Nam’s development cooperation efforts and its contribution to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Assessing the global context, Prime Minister Pham outlined three consistent guiding principles for the country’s pursuit of green transition in the digital era. First, people, citizens and enterprises remain the core, driver and objective of all development. Second, environmental protection and social welfare must never be compromised for the sake of economic growth. Third, the transition must ultimately improve the well-being, safety and happiness of the population. Viet Nam remains a good friend, reliable partner and responsible member of the international community, the leader stressed. The country maintains an independent and self-reliant foreign policy rooted in peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralisation and diversification. Viet Nam is always prepared to be a friend and trusted partner of countries in sustaining a peaceful and stable environment and mobilising international support for fast and sustainable development.

He stated that the nation is firmly committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and its pledge of net-zero emissions by 2050. It will continue to open its market and establish legal frameworks to welcome green investment and advanced technologies from global partners.

The Government chief affirmed in Viet Nam’s consistent view, resources stem from vision and thinking; momentum comes from innovation and creativity; strength originates from the people and the business community; and national strength must be combined with the strength of the times, and domestic capacity with international support. To realise these, Viet Nam will prioritise measures defined by the approach of “open institutions, seamless infrastructure, smart governance, skilled human resources, and widely applicable practices”. The State, he noted, is responsible for creating an enabling regulatory environment, streamlining administrative procedures, encouraging green transition and digital transformation projects, and providing maximum facilitation for domestic and foreign enterprises.

A view of the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City on November 26.

The Prime Minister emphasised the need for preferential mechanisms to mobilise and use resources effectively, a harmonious combination of internal and external strengths, and the promotion of public–private partnerships.

Viet Nam will also accelerate the development of high-quality human resources to meet the demands of both green transition and digital transformation, strengthen linkages between education institutions and enterprises, and bolster sci-tech cooperation and transfer. The leader highlighted the need for support from international friends and leading global corporations, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum technology, semiconductors and nuclear energy.

Pham underscored that the presence of government officials, businesses, scholars and organisations from inside and outside Viet Nam at the event demonstrates a strong will to cooperate, and a shared aspiration to create new value and build a sustainable, inclusive and humane future for all nations and people.

He expressed confidence that the ideas, initiatives and commitments put forward would extend beyond speeches and be translated into concrete actions. The Prime Minister also hoped the forum would serve as a space for dialogue, trust-building and cooperation, upholding multilateralism and respect for international law.

During the plenary session, delegates heard reports and discussed opportunities and challenges facing the smart economy, the green transition in the digital era, smart manufacturing and global supply chains, megacity governance and related stakeholder responsibilities./.