The conference aimed to assess the development of industry, trade and energy; address difficulties and obstacles; and promote regional linkages and create new growth momentum to successfully achieve the socio-economic development targets for 2026 and the 2026–2030 period.

The conference chairpersons

The conference was attended by Luong Hoang Thai, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Hoang Minh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee. Also attending were representatives of departments and agencies under the Ministry of Industry and Trade; leaders of the People’s Committees, Departments of Industry and Trade, and other departments and agencies of 15 northern provinces and cities; representatives of industry associations; and the business community operating in industry, trade, energy and logistics.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Luong Hoang Thai delivers the opening remarks

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Luong Hoang Thai emphasized that, as 2026 is the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the 2026–2030 Socio-Economic Development Plan, the Industry and Trade sector in localities needs to proactively renew its management approaches, improve coordination efficiency, and better leverage the potential and advantages of each locality through regional linkages.

He called for stronger connections between supporting-industry enterprises and FDI enterprises and lead firms; closer links between raw-material production areas, processing and consumption; and stronger connectivity between industrial parks and clusters and seaports, border gates and logistics centers.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade leadership stressed that the final three months of 2026 are crucial to fulfilling the 2026 plan and creating a solid foundation for 2027. Accordingly, the conference focused on several key issues, including accurately assessing the likelihood of achieving the 2026 targets and evaluating the contributions of key sectors and projects in the fourth quarter; identifying causes, breakthrough solutions and implementation responsibilities for targets at risk of falling short; and thoroughly removing obstacles to production and business activities, particularly those hindering enterprises and investment projects in localities.

The conference also sought to translate regional linkages into feasible, focused tasks and plans, with priority given to connecting supporting-industry enterprises with FDI enterprises and lead firms; linking raw-material areas with processing and consumption; connecting industrial parks, industrial clusters and border gates with seaports and logistics centers; developing the domestic market alongside sustainable export expansion; and improving the effectiveness of state management and coordination between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and localities.

Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee Hoang Minh Cuong speaks at the conference

In his welcome remarks, Vice Chairman Hoang Minh Cuong said that Hai Phong was honored to be selected by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to host the 12th Northern Vietnam Industry and Trade Sector Conference. The event provides an important opportunity for localities to jointly identify bottlenecks and address challenges that extend beyond the boundaries of individual provinces and cities, thereby creating additional growth momentum for the region and the country as a whole.

He affirmed that the northern region brings together major industrial production centers, raw-material areas, large consumer markets, international border gates, seaports and modern interconnected transport infrastructure. The effectiveness of Industry and Trade development in each locality depends not only on internal efforts but also on the ability to connect infrastructure, markets, data and policies across the region.

Delegates visit the exhibition area on the sidelines of the conference

Looking back at the first nine months of 2026, Hai Phong continued to maintain strong growth momentum, with a number of leading economic indicators. The city’s GRDP growth in the first nine months was estimated at 11.73%; the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) increased by an estimated 15.14%, with manufacturing and processing industries rising 15.36%; exports reached an estimated US$43.72 billion, up 12.3%; total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue reached an estimated VND320.89 trillion, up 16.08%; and cargo throughput at the city’s ports reached an estimated 156.3 million tonnes, up 11.8%.

Total state budget revenue in the city was estimated to increase by 11.7%, while revenue from import and export activities reached VND72.974 trillion, up 17%. Hai Phong was also ranked among the top five localities with outstanding economic governance performance according to the 2025 Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), while continuing to rank first nationwide in the 2025 Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) and Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS).

Implementing Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW of the Politburo and taking advantage of the new development space following the merger with Hai Duong Province, Hai Phong has committed to continuing to significantly improve its investment and business environment, enhance logistics capacity, and serve as a connectivity hub in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and northern provinces to promote sustainable supply chains.

At the conference, representatives of the Departments of Industry and Trade of provinces and cities and business communities delivered substantive presentations focusing on industry-chain coordination mechanisms, logistics routes, digital transformation, energy efficiency and cleaner production.

Conference delegates

The conference was not only an occasion to review the implementation of assigned tasks but also highlighted new requirements for regional connectivity. From policy and infrastructure connectivity to production linkages, logistics and markets, the Industry and Trade sector in northern Vietnam faces the need to develop more competitive value chains that can contribute to the growth objectives of individual localities and the region as a whole.

As part of the conference, participating units will sign cooperation agreements to promote e-commerce, support enterprises, cooperatives and household businesses in improving their capacity to apply digital technologies, develop markets and expand exports. The city’s Department of Industry and Trade will also sign cooperation agreements with e-commerce platforms and technology enterprises to support local businesses in developing online operations and reaching consumers in Vietnam and international markets.

Nguyen Lan