Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, a flagship event of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and pay a working trip to Tianjin, China, from June 24-27 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and WEF President and CEO Børge Brende.
Dubbed the “Summer Davos Forum”, the Tianjin meeting is second only to the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in terms of scale and importance, gathering leaders of governments, businesses, social organisations and scholars to tackle pressing socio-economic challenges as well as shape global and regional agendas.
Vietnam’s attendance reaffirms its consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification, and comprehensive, intensive, extensive and effective international integration. For a nation on the cusp of a new era, it underscores the country’s determination and aspiration to drive development at home and cement its place on the global stage.
WEF – The world’s leading economic forum
Founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab, then a professor of business policy at the University of Geneva, the WEF has grown from a business-centric forum into a global powerhouse headquartered in Geneva. Now partnering with around 700 organisations representing leading corporations across industries, it drew the attendance of political leaders for the first time in 1995 and became an independent international organisation in 2015.
Beyond fostering economic partnerships, the WEF has become a catalyst for policy innovation, tackling everything from energy, climate change, to epidemic prevention, and environmental protection. It was among the first global platforms to explore the fourth Industrial Revolution, establishing dedicated centres in the US, India, and Japan, plus a cybersecurity hub with the participation of 92 partners.
The WEF’s reach extends beyond its January Davos extravaganza to regional summits like the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, which alternates between Tianjin and Dalian. The 2025 edition, marking the 8th time hosted by Tianjin, will draw over 1,700 delegates and bear the theme “Entrepreneurship for a New Era". The agenda spans five themes: decoding a global economy battered by geopolitical strife, inflation, and supply chain snarls; dissecting China’s tech and AI-driven growth; retooling industries with smart manufacturing and clean energy; investing in human capital and sustainability through digital skills, climate finance, and gender equality in tech and public-private partnerships; and pushing the boundaries of new energy and materials, including renewables, energy storage, and next-generation nuclear technologies.
More than 40 sessions will be livestreamed, covering topics from geopolitical shifts to AI trends and global trade dynamics. The WEF will also release new research reports, offering fresh insights into these pressing issues.
Vietnam - WEF cooperation increasingly effective
Since kicking off economic reforms in 1989, Vietnam has leaned on the WEF as a springboard to connect with leading global businesses, sparking reform ideas and unlocking investment opportunities. The 36-year partnership has grown, with WEF founder Schwab repeatedly lauding Vietnam’s rising influence and shared commitment to collaboration.
Vietnamese government leaders are WEF participants, with prime ministers attending the WEF meeting in Davos six times since 2007, deputy prime ministers making frequent appearances, and the nation showing up at three Summer Davos Forums in 2023, 2024, 2025 and five WEF ASEAN summits in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018, among others.
Vietnam has also hosted WEF events, from the WEF East Asia 2010 in Ho Chi Minh City to the WEF ASEAN 2018 in Hanoi. The 2021 Country Strategic Dialogue with the WEF was hailed as a standout success.
These high-level engagements have elevated Vietnam’s global profile, offering a stage to showcase its economic vision and forge ties with multinational giants. The resulting policy innovations and investments have been a boon for domestic growth. A 2023–2026 Memorandum of Understanding with the WEF has doubled down on collaboration, targeting food system innovation, skills for innovation and green transition, zero-emission industrial clusters, plastic action, climate finance for renewable energy, and digital transformation.
A landmark moment came on September 25, 2024, with the launch of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Ho Chi Minh City, the second of its kind in Asia and part of a 19-centre global network.
PM Chinh’s presence in Tianjin signals Vietnam’s commitment to being a trusted partner and an active, responsible member of the WEF, contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.
Leading a delegation expected to engage proactively in discussions, PM Chinh will share Vietnam’s perspectives on key global and regional economic and development challenges while popularising its policies and seeking new partnerships with governments and global enterprises./.
