The three-day event is expected to attract more than 1,000 delegates, including six presidents and prime ministers.

It is a platform for Government leaders and Asian entrepreneurs to discuss and share their vision for the future, especially as we stand on the cusp of Industry 4.0.

As the host and co-chair of WEF ASEAN, Vietnam has included many issues it believes are key to ASEAN such as innovative startup, infrastructure and smart cities, employment in Industry 4.0, human resources development and hi-tech agriculture.

With nearly 60 discussions, the forum is also considered a festival for member states to promote a positive image of ASEAN countries, convey their messages about a common house of the ASEAN Community with diverse cultures, diverse people, strong solidarity, a shared vision and a shared identity.

This is the third time the WEF has chosen Vietnam as the venue for a regional WEF, showing the strong development of the partnership between Vietnam and the WEF, as well as between the country and the international business community.

Vietnam hosted the WEF on East Asia in 2010 and the WEF on the Mekong Region in 2016. This year’s event is also a chance for the country to foster cooperation with partners and attract attention and investment from the world’s leading enterprises.

It will help the country access novel ideas and grasp development trends in the region and the world, especially amid Industry 4.0, and to serve the building and implementation of socio-economic development plans and business strategies of local companies.

Hosting the event also reflects the Vietnamese Party and State’s policy of actively integrating into the world and responsibly contributing to common development and integration issues in the region. It will also help intensify the cooperation between Vietnam and the WEF in the future.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (fifth from right), Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (fourth from right) and heads of delegations at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018 in Hanoi on September 12 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the opening ceremony Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre), Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF Klaus Schwab (R) and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pose for a photo Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at his dialogue with Global CEOs on September 12 in the framework of WEF ASEAN 2018 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and a delegate at the dialogue The co-chairs of WEF ASEAN 2018 held a press conference in Hanoi on September 12 Acting Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung (C) speaks at the press conference of WEF ASEAN 2018 co-chairs on September 12  Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea Kang Kyung-wha (C) and participants at the press conference

VNA