Third ABAC Meeting Advancing Regional Trade, Investment Cooperation

Press conference to introduce the ABAC III meeting

Mr. Pham Tan Cong, President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Chair of ABAC Vietnam, said that the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), is the official mechanism representing the business community within the APEC framework and tasked to directly advise APEC leaders. Each economy appoints up to three prominent business representatives to ABAC. In 2025, Korea is the Chair of APEC and the Chair of ABAC. ABAC holds four annual meetings under the overarching theme “Bridge. Business. Beyond”, focusing on free trade, digital transformation, sustainable development and inclusive growth. The third ABAC Meeting is one of the four official ABAC meetings each year, where members discuss and decide on policy recommendations to be submitted to APEC leaders and in letters to APEC ministers.

He said, 2025 holds special significance as the world has entered the accelerating recovery phase. “This year’s overarching theme portrays a core spirit: businesses are not only key economic players but also bridges between economies, between growth and sustainability, between innovation and international cooperation, aligning with the current direction of the Vietnamese business community - one that is actively globalizing, deeply integrating and ready to face new challenges,” he stressed.

Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong is expected to attend and deliver an opening keynote speech at the third ABAC Meeting on July 16, 2025.

In 2025, ABAC Vietnam has actively contributed initiatives to five ABAC working groups: Regional Economic Integration (free, sustainable trade and investment), Sustainability (circular economy, climate action, green business), AI and Digital Innovation (bridging the digital divide), Finance and Economics (inclusive, green finance), and Biotech and Healthcare (public health and supply chain security).

In addition to participating in ABAC’s official meetings, ABAC Vietnam plays a key coordinating role in preparing content and logistics to support Vietnam’s senior leadership at the APEC CEO Summit 2025 and the ABAC Dialogue with APEC Leaders, both scheduled to take place in November 2025 in Korea. These are important forums where policy proposals from the business community, including Vietnamese businesses, can be directly presented to APEC leaders.

According to Mr. Bui Ngoc Hai, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority, many business networking and investment promotion events will be held alongside the third ABAC Meeting. The Trade and Investment Promotion Conference will gather around 700 participants, including APEC business leaders, ambassadors, commercial counselors, business associations, and international investors. The event will spotlight Vietnam’s investment climate, with a focus on Hai Phong.

The Welcome Gala Dinner, hosted by Hai Phong City on July 15, will serve as a cultural and diplomatic highlight, offering a networking space for APEC and Vietnamese business communities while promoting Hai Phong as a prime destination for economic, investment, cultural, and tourism cooperation.

An exhibition zone at Pullman Hai Phong Hotel (July 15–18) will showcase the city’s economic achievements and signature products. Delegates will also visit key economic zones, industrial parks, and businesses, providing ABAC members with opportunities to experience the distinctive products of Vietnam’s northern coastal region.

“The third ABAC Meeting in Hai Phong is not only a major milestone but also a significant opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its active, reputable and responsible role within APEC. This is also a good chance for Vietnamese businesses to directly contact international partners and ABAC members, including presidents and CEOs of world-class corporations, to boost business connections, promote the investment environment and work together toward a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable APEC region,” said Pham Tan Cong.