Within the framework of the working trip, HCMC consistently drew substantial attention from international partners as City Leaders proactively engaged in 12 crucial sideline contacts and bilateral meetings with high-level representatives and managers within the World Economic Forum ecosystem.
Notably, City Leaders held a meeting with Mr. Alois Zwinggi, Managing Director of the WEF. Furthermore, the deepening cooperative relationship was demonstrated through working sessions with Ms. Kiva Allgood, Managing Director of the WEF San Francisco Office and Head of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains and the Centre for Urban Transformation, along with Ms. Sandy Chong, Head of Regional Projects for Asia-Pacific at the WEF.
In parallel with attending 07 official WEF sessions focusing on green manufacturing, emerging technologies, and investment capital shifts, the HCMC delegation took proactive initiatives by organizing a series of dynamic sideline activities. Through the implementation of 5 symposiums and investment promotion forums, the City attracted nearly 1,000 attendees, focusing on promoting R&D, connecting international financial flows, and advancing smart manufacturing cooperation. The events also received meaningful, continuous companionship and support from Mr. Pham Thanh Binh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to China.
The most tangible evidence of the trip's substantive nature was the announcement of 09 breakthrough cooperation projects between HCMC units and enterprises and their Chinese partners. These projects focus on core sectors shaping the future of smart cities and the digital economy, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous vehicles, high-tech healthcare, smart agriculture, robotics, automation, green materials, and innovation-driven finance.
The proactive participation and networking of City Leaders at this year's meeting contribute to realizing HCMC's strategic goals in digital transformation and the knowledge economy. This represents a concrete step for the City to expand its partner network, attract investment capital, and gear toward economic growth targets in the coming time.