BPC Roundtable Conference 2026 to open in Ho Chi Minh City

Co-organised by Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee in coordination with the Osaka Business Partner City Council, the event will have the theme “Innovation and Sustainable Development: Advancing Growth and International Cooperation among BPC Cities”

The event will have three sessions. The first session will about supporting innovative startups, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and international cooperation, featuring four presentations from Osaka, Ho Chi Minh City, the Australian Industry Group and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.

Session 2 will cover sustainable industry, carbon emissions reduction and transit-oriented development while the session 3 will focus on progress in implementing the Joint Declaration on Decarbonisation and Sustainability adopted at the 2025 BPC Conference in Osaka, lessons learned during implementation, and concrete actions for the period ahead.

Within the framework of the Conference, Ho Chi Minh City will also organise bilateral working sessions with the City of Melbourne, the City of Manila, the Australian Industry Group and the City of Osaka.

On the afternoon of October 23, delegates plan to visit Ho Chi Minh City Export 2026 - Vietnam’s Outstanding Export Products Fair at WTC Expo. That evening, the programme will continue with networking activities among city delegates and businesses, including the Osaka business delegation.

Through BPC Roundtable Conference 2026, Ho Chi Minh City seeks to strengthen the BPC network as a platform connecting cities and moving from the exchange of experience and policy perspectives towards practical cooperation programmes, contributing to innovation, stronger business competitiveness and green, and sustainable growth.

BPC Roundtable Conference 2026 marked the 35th edition of the Roundtable and the third time Ho Chi Minh City has hosted the event, following the 2002 and 2016 conferences.

The 2026 Conference built on the outcomes of BPC 2025 in Osaka and the Joint Declaration on Decarbonisation and Sustainability, with a focus on translating shared commitments into concrete initiatives and cooperation among cities, partner organisations and the business community.

The BPC network was initiated by the Osaka City government in 1988 to build an economic cooperation network among cities, initially with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.

Unlike conventional city-to-city exchanges, BPC places particular emphasis on business-level economic engagement supported by local governments and trade promotion organisations.

Through this model, the network seeks to create business opportunities, help small and medium-sized enterprises expand internationally and strengthen mutual understanding among participating cities.

The BPC Roundtable Conference has been held annually since 1990, rotating among member cities, and has developed into a forum where city governments, trade promotion organisations, business associations and companies exchange policy perspectives, urban development experience and cooperation opportunities. Ho Chi Minh City joined the network in May 1997.

Over nearly three decades, BPC has provided the City with a practical channel for international cooperation in trade, investment, business support, innovation and sustainable development.

In 2026, Ho Chi Minh City continued to maintain strong economic growth momentum, with regional GDP rising by 9.06 per cent in the first nine months and the industrial production index increasing by 10.9 per cent.

The City is conducting greenhouse-gas inventories at 360 facilities, converting its bus fleet towards electric and other green-energy vehicles, and participating in the national carbon-market roadmap.

Ho Chi Minh City will host the 2026 Business Partner Cities (BPC) Roundtable Conference on October 23. Photo: Le Toan