Ho Chi Minh City expands global AI partnerships at WEF 2026

The city's delegation, led by Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Loc Ha, participated in the June 22-26 meeting, joining discussions on green manufacturing, emerging technologies, energy transition, new industrial strategies, global investment trends and cooperation between APEC and ASEAN.

Alongside the conference, the city organised a series of investment promotion events and business networking activities that attracted nearly 1,000 participants. The forums focused on research and development (R&D), technology commercialization, smart manufacturing, high-tech agriculture and financing for innovation.

Nine technology cooperation projects unveiled

According to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the side events announced nine cooperation initiatives between local organisations and Chinese partners.

The projects cover a broad range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and intelligent transportation systems, robotics and automation, smart cities, green materials, advanced healthcare, smart agriculture and aquaculture, digital transformation, and innovation finance.

In addition to the announced projects, companies and institutions signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs), letters of intent and framework agreements that are expected to pave the way for future investment.

During the visit, city leaders also held 12 bilateral meetings with international corporations, organisations and financial institutions to explore partnerships in strategic technologies and urban development.

Building a global innovation network

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peaking at the Ho Chi Minh City Investment Cooperation Forum, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Loc Ha pointed out competition among cities today extends beyond economic scale to their ability to connect with global flows of technology, talent, capital and knowledge.

He said the city aims not only to attract more investment projects but also to co-create new growth drivers with international partners through long-term innovation partnerships.

Ho Chi Minh City also proposed establishing stronger links between the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, AMNC in China and the city's own annual Autumn Economic Forum to create a broader platform for international dialogue and innovation cooperation.

Calling for stronger APEC-ASEAN connectivity

At a dialogue on cooperation between APEC and ASEAN, the city's delegation emphasised the need for closer coordination as global supply chains continue to face pressure from protectionism and geopolitical fragmentation.

They proposed three priorities for deeper cooperation, including developing interconnected smart infrastructure and data systems; promoting greater specialisation among economies to capitalise on complementary strengths; and accelerating implementation of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) with stronger private-sector participation.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, participation in AMNC 2026 aligns with the city's broader strategy to promote science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as it seeks to become a leading innovation center in Southeast Asia.

Through engagement with the World Economic Forum, the city expects to deepen ties with global innovation leaders, attract high-quality investment, advanced technologies and skilled talent, while accelerating green transformation, expanding the knowledge economy and strengthening its integration into global value chains.

Ho Chi Minh City showcases Vietnam International Financial Centre at WEF Davos

As competition among global financial hubs intensifies, Ho Chi Minh City is moving to carve out a distinct position with a “latecomer but different” strategy, placing institutional reform and innovation at the heart of its competitiveness.