The third meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC III) and related events will take place in Hai Phong from July 15 to 18, 2025.

Press conference to introduce the Third Meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC III) and related events will take place in Hai Phong .

VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong said: “The APEC Business Advisory Council - ABAC is the official representative mechanism of the business sector within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum. Through dialogues with APEC Ministers and Leaders, ABAC ensures that the voices of businesses are heard. ABAC is an important forum to help businesses deeply participate in the regional economic integration process. Thanks to that, ABAC contributes to building a sustainable and prosperous Asia-Pacific economic community”. The upcoming ABAC III meeting in Hai Phong is not only a highlight in the ABAC program this year, but also a great opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its proactive, prestigious and responsible role in APEC. This is also an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to directly approach international partners and ABAC members to connect businesses, promote the investment environment and work together towards a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable APEC region.”

Chairman of the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry Pham Tan Cong informed at the Press Conference introducing the important meeting of ABAC Vietnam in 2025.

ABAC was established in 1995 to bridge the gap between business and APEC leaders. ABAC’s primary role is to reflect the voices, views and aspirations of business to APEC’s high-level forums. ABAC participates in formulating and proposing policies on strategic issues related to trade, investment, economic integration, innovation, sustainable development and other global challenges. The Council helps strengthen public-private partnerships, support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises; and also contributes to the orientation of the region’s long-term economic priorities.

In 2025, ABAC Vietnam has been actively participating in content development and proposing initiatives to 5 specialized working groups of ABAC, including: regional economic integration - promoting free and sustainable trade and investment; sustainable development - including circular economy, climate change response and green business; digital transformation and AI - narrowing the digital gap between economies; finance and investment - towards inclusive and green finance; healthcare and biotechnology - to enhance public health capacity and supply chain security.

Providing specific information about the ABAC III Meeting, VCCI Vice President Nguyen Quang Vinh said: ABAC III is one of the four official annual meetings of the Council, held in rotation in major cities of 21 APEC member economies. This is not only a place for high-level policy discussions, but also a platform for the business community to discuss and develop practical recommendations to present to APEC senior leaders within the framework of the APEC Summit Week at the end of the year. The meeting includes closed sessions of the Council, thematic working groups, working sessions between ABAC delegates and representatives of Vietnamese enterprises. The theme of ABAC in 2025 is "Bridge - Enterprise - Reaching Out" - a message that is both connecting and expressing the desire for cooperation to overcome challenges for sustainable development. The results of the Meeting will be compiled into an official ABAC report to be presented to APEC Leaders at the ABAC Dialogue with APEC Leaders, taking place in November 2025 in the Republic of Korea. This means that the contents discussed at the Meeting will directly contribute to shaping the region's economic and trade policies in the next period.

Deputy Head of Hai Phong Economic Zone Management Board - Mr. Bui Ngoc Hai affirmed that the city has many advantages to organize international events such as ABAC III.

Vietnam’s hosting of the Meeting is not only an important foreign affairs event, but also brings many practical values. First of all, this is a great opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its active role in the regional economic integration process, while demonstrating our strong commitment to the principles of free trade, inclusive and sustainable development - the core values that APEC and ABAC pursue together. In addition, the Meeting is also an opportunity to promote the image of the country, people and culture of Vietnam to international friends; thereby enhancing the national position, supporting the economic diplomacy strategy, promoting tourism and attracting high-quality investment in the long term.

The Organizing Committee expects that ABAC III will help affirm Vietnam's prestige in the regional economic integration process, while promoting economic diplomacy and attracting investment.

The ABAC III meeting will take place from July 15-18, 2025 at the Pullman Hai Phong Hotel, with about 250 international and Vietnamese delegates, including ABAC members who are leaders of corporations, leading enterprises, trade and investment promotion organizations from 21 APEC economies, assistants and international guests. The ABAC III meeting in 2025 in Hai Phong is part of a series of events towards Vietnam assuming the role of APEC 2027 and ABAC 2027 Chair. It is expected that President Luong Cuong will attend and deliver a speech at the Opening Session of the ABAC III Meeting (July 16, 2025).

* (14:00–18:00, July 15, 2025, at Hai Phong Convention and Performance Center): Expected to be honored to welcome President Luong Cuong to give a speech, with the participation of about 700 delegates including APEC business leaders, ambassadors and counselors of APEC economies with representative agencies in Hanoi, business associations and international investors, to promote the investment environment of Vietnam, especially Hai Phong.

: It is a cultural and diplomatic highlight, demonstrating hospitality and creating a space for exchange and connection between APEC businesses and the Vietnamese business community, while helping to promote the image of Hai Phong city as an attractive destination for economic cooperation, investment and culture - tourism.

(July 15-18, 2025 - Pullman Hai Phong Hotel): to promote to ABAC members the economic achievements of Hai Phong, creating opportunities for ABAC delegates to directly enjoy typical products of Vietnam's coastal region.

Source: https://haiphong.gov.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/ky-hop-lan-thu-ba-cua-hoi-dong-tu-van-kinh-doanh-apec-abac-iii-va-cac-su-kien-lien-quan-se-dien--759708