Vietnam became a member of APEC in 1998, nine years after the forum’s establishment. Since joining, Vietnam has made numerous significant contributions to this leading regional economic cooperation mechanism, playing a vital role in promoting peace, stability, and collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region. Vietnam is among the few members to have successfully hosted APEC twice — in 2006 and 2017 — and has been selected to host the APEC meetings once again in 2027.
In addition, Vietnam has served as the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat (2005–2006) and has chaired or co-chaired many of APEC’s key committees and working groups. Currently, Vietnam is leading the development of APEC’s Structural Reform Agenda for 2026–2030.
Throughout its participation in APEC, Vietnam has consistently demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility and has been one of the most active members in proposing and promoting cooperation initiatives and programs within the forum. To date, Vietnam has put forward over 150 initiatives and collaborative projects across various fields, which have been highly appreciated by other APEC members.
One of Vietnam’s most notable contributions is its proposal on shaping the APEC Vision 2040 and the accompanying Implementation Plan. Both were endorsed by the leaders of the 21 APEC economies at the 25th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in November 2017 in Da Nang, Vietnam. Additionally, Vietnam actively proposed and received consensus approval for several initiatives in key areas such as:
- Green and sustainable growth
- Strengthening cooperation on climate change and inclusive growth
- Promoting inclusivity, especially supporting vulnerable groups and SMEs
- The “Gender Inclusion Guidelines,” aimed at integrating gender equality into all APEC policies and programs
- Deepening regional economic integration, reform, and innovation
- Enhancing APEC’s overall role and effectiveness
At the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2025 in South Korea, President of Vietnam Luong Cuong will attend and speak at both the APEC Leaders’ Meeting and the APEC CEO Summit. His remarks are expected to put forward concrete proposals to strengthen collaboration among APEC members in response to the rapidly changing global and regional environment. Given that Vietnam will host APEC in 2027 and the evolving global landscape, his speeches are anticipated to attract considerable attention from member economies.
Vietnam is actively preparing for the successful organization of APEC 2027. On July 28, 2025, the Vietnamese government announced the establishment of the National Committee for APEC 2027, assigning key ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, to lead the development of themes, priorities, and major initiatives.
Prime Minister of Vietnam emphasized five guiding principles, known as the “Five Promotives,” for APEC 2027:
- Promote the spirit of cooperation among member economies
- Foster innovation and creativity
- Strengthen solidarity, determination, and responsibility across agencies and localities
- Encourage support, coordination, and contributions from stakeholders and the business community
- Maximize the outcomes of previous APEC meetings to improve effectiveness in economic development and achieving APEC’s goals
Vietnam’s global standing continues to rise. The country maintains political stability, pursues consistent reforms and innovations, and is deeply integrated into the regional and global economies. In 2024, Vietnam’s GDP grew by 7.1%, and in the first half of 2025, growth reached 7.52%. The government has also streamlined administrative processes and actively pushed forward reforms and international integration.
Vietnam is on track to achieve its goals of becoming a developing country with a modern industrial base and upper-middle income status by 2030, and a high-income developed country by 2045. With a strong sense of responsibility and active engagement in international cooperation, Vietnam is well-positioned to further enhance its role within APEC and other regional and global frameworks.
The Vietnam–South Korea relationship exemplifies a model of bilateral cooperation within APEC. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, the two countries have strengthened their ties to the highest level, now under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Leaders of both nations regularly hold high-level talks to deepen collaboration.
Within APEC, Vietnam and South Korea have worked closely, sharing expertise and jointly proposing initiatives. As Vietnamese President Luong Cuong visits South Korea for the APEC Summit in Gyeongju, both countries are encouraged to continue strengthening their partnership. South Korea is expected to support Vietnam’s initiatives and, through high-level meetings, further deepen their comprehensive cooperation across various sectors.
