Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Vietnam is ready to cooperate for mutual development, share for mutual progress, innovate to create value together, and act for a peaceful, stable, prosperous and sustainable future, stated Prime Minister Le Minh Hung at a high-level plenary session of the Autumn Economic Forum 2026 (AEF 2026) in Ho Chi Minh City on October 28.
As the world undergoes profound transformations that bring new development opportunities while posing major challenges to countries, PM Hung stressed that strengthening self-reliance and expanding international cooperation are closely interlinked requirements.
More than ever, the world needs to strengthen trust, uphold multilateralism, enhance dialogue and promote cooperation based on respect for international law and countries’ legitimate interests, he said.
He affirmed that, in this new phase of development, only solidarity and cooperation, shared responsibility and collective action, connected markets and resources, and links among knowledge, technology and people could enable countries to achieve sustainable and inclusive development while enhancing their resilience to shocks and volatility. Cooperation, he added, must go beyond declarations or commitments to translate into substantive mechanisms, viable projects and tangible, measurable results.
The Vietnamese PM emphasised that throughout Vietnam’s reform process, deeper international integration has consistently remained a key policy and strategic priority, aimed at maximising domestic strengths and mobilising external resources for national construction and development. By pursuing proactive, comprehensive, extensive and effective international integration, Vietnam has transformed itself from a country facing numerous difficulties into a dynamic economy with very high GDP growth, a safe and attractive investment destination, and a trusted partner and an active, responsible member of the international community.
Highlighting Vietnam’s positive economic performance in the first nine months of 2026, when GDP grew by 9.01%, its highest rate since 2011, he said the country has officially joined the upper-middle-income group in July 2026. Vietnam is now entering a new development phase with the utmost determination and effort to achieve its two centenary goals - becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed, high-income country by 2045.
PM Hung underscored that Vietnam is accelerating reforms to its laws, institutions and national governance in line with international practices and standards, with a development-oriented approach. The aim is to open up new development space, comprehensively remove institutional bottlenecks and enable localities, regions and growth poles, particularly special urban areas, to fully realise their potential.
At the same time, the country is implementing a coordinated set of strategic policies to advance science and technology, innovation and digital transformation; comprehensively improve education and training to develop a highly skilled workforce; strongly encourage the development of the private and state economic sectors; and enhance the quality and efficiency of the foreign-invested sector.
To advance the spirit of cooperation in the new era, the PM said Vietnam wants international partners not merely to “invest in Vietnam”, but to “invest with Vietnam”; not merely to “manufacture in Vietnam”, but also to engage in research and development (R&D), promote innovation and create new value chains competitive at both regional and global levels.
He proposed four specific areas for discussion at the forum, focusing on partnerships for co-creation between international corporations, Vietnamese localities and domestic businesses, cooperation with Vietnam on programmes to nurture and train digital talent and specialists in cutting-edge science and technology, and the possibility of establishing regulatory sandboxes for strategic technologies.
He called for stronger cooperation to mobilise medium- and long-term capital for development. The Vietnam International Financial Centre (VIFC) campuses in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang should become effective channels connecting global medium- and long-term capital with Vietnam’s needs in infrastructure, energy, green transition and innovation.
Stressing that no country could achieve sustainable development by focusing solely on its own interests, PM Hung affirmed that Vietnam is always ready to be a friend, a trusted partner and an active, responsible member of the international community. It stands ready to listen, learn with an open mind, share experience and work alongside partners to address common challenges and shape new development opportunities.
The Vietnamese Government hopes that with the support of the WEF and its partners, the Autumn Economic Forum will become a platform for connections that advances practical initiatives and cooperation programmes, delivering tangible and lasting results, he stressed.
Addressing the forum, WEF Managing Director Stephan Mergenthaler pointed to factors shaping the next phase of global growth, including intelligent systems, resilient and sustainable industry, and connectivity.
He observed that as Vietnam continues to pursue higher productivity and innovation-driven growth, strengthening these connections will become increasingly important. The three drivers do not operate independently but reinforced one another, and their convergence will help shape the next generation of economic growth./.
