Wilbur Ross, US Secretary of Commerce addresses the 2019 Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Thailand. (Photo: AFP)

The forum advances a vision of the Indo-Pacific as a free and open region composed of nations that are independent, strong, and prosperous, said the State Department.

Government and business leaders from the US, Vietnam, and across the Indo-Pacific, will discuss energy and infrastructure, the digital economy, market connectivity, health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and US-Indo-Pacific partnerships and commercial opportunities.

The forum will showcase high-impact private sector investment and government efforts to support market competition, job growth, and high-standard development for greater prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.