WEPACK 2026 in Hanoi: Connecting the “Blue Ocean” of Smart Packaging between China and Vietnam

Vietnam - the “new hotspot” of the regional packaging industry

Behind these figures is a profound structural shift. Waves of FDI from China, Japan, South Korea and European–American brands relocating factories to Vietnam are driving enormous demand for corrugated cartons, colour boxes, paper food packaging, labels and e-commerce packaging for cross-border retail. At the same time, the domestic market of more than 100 million people and a rapidly growing middle class is putting pressure on brand owners to upgrade packaging in terms of design, materials and safety standards.

On the policy side, the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has shifted the “green packaging” story from slogan to practice. Businesses are now compelled to optimise design, reduce weight, increase recyclability and select eco-friendly materials. This is both a challenge and a catalyst for factories to invest in new production lines, upgrade printing, die-cutting and gluing technology, and adopt smart systems for quality inspection and warehouse management.

WEPACK 2026 Roadshow: a high-level connection platform in Hanoi

Seizing this momentum, RX China (Reed Exhibitions China) has chosen Hanoi as a key stop in the WEPACK 2026 – Vietnam Roadshow series. The event will take place at Pan Pacific Hanoi on 7 January 2026, with the objective of building a dedicated platform for the industry based on four pillars: “Trend Insight – Business Matching – Investment Linkage – Factory Visits.”

The Roadshow is organised by RX China, co-curated by Yes Asia Group, and officially supported by Vietnam Packaging Association (VINPAS), Vietnam Printing Association (VPA), Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association (VPPA), PrintPack Vietnam Club and a number of major industrial parks. This ensures the event is not just a promotional conference for an exhibition, but a forum where the voices of regulators, industry associations and the business community converge into a single ecosystem.

A Vietnam – China packaging alliance on a “blue ocean” of growth

As Vietnam’s packaging industry enters its “golden phase” – where capacity expansion, technology upgrading, green transition and brand-driven pressure all unfold at once – the need for a cross-border cooperation platform has become more urgent than ever. The WEPACK 2026 Roadshow in Hanoi is designed precisely with this in mind: to create a “harbour” where businesses from both countries can meet, understand one another and jointly shape long-term strategies.

Through in-depth presentations, experts will analyse trends in new materials, digital printing technologies, automated corrugated-line solutions, machine-vision quality control, and the impact of EPR on investment decisions in equipment. Business-matching sessions will enable Vietnamese factories to directly approach Chinese suppliers, shortening the time needed to search for information, compare options and negotiate solutions.

Conversely, Chinese business delegations will have the opportunity to visit leading plants in Vietnam, gaining first-hand insight into technical requirements and production-line upgrade plans, so they can design tailored product and service packages instead of relying on “one-size-fits-all” solutions for every market. This structure of “connecting in the conference hall – experiencing on the factory floor” promises to create a chain of substantive interactions that goes far beyond exchanging business cards.

From roadshow to the prospect of a global packaging expo in Vietnam

WEPACK is not merely the name of an exhibition, but an ecosystem built around a chain of roadshows, industry conferences and international trade fairs covering the full packaging value chain – from paper and plastics to printing, recycling and logistics. The choice of Hanoi as a WEPACK 2026 Roadshow venue sends a clear message: Vietnam is being recognised as an important “link” in the global packaging chain.

In the longer term, the connections forged at Pan Pacific Hanoi in January 2026 could pave the way for deeper cooperation projects: joint ventures in equipment manufacturing, technical service and maintenance centres, material-testing laboratories, and even larger-scale packaging exhibitions brought directly to Vietnam. At that point, the domestic packaging industry will not only be importing technology, but could also become a testbed, development hub and exporter of solutions back into the region.

In an increasingly competitive landscape, the players who move first will be those who spot the “blue ocean” early and prepare well for the next wave. The WEPACK 2026 Roadshow in Hanoi – backed by VINPAS, VPA, VPPA, PrintPack and a network of key industrial parks – is a clear invitation to packaging leaders who are ready to break through.

Hanoi – a new meeting point on the world’s packaging map

From being labelled merely “potential”, Vietnam’s packaging industry is transforming into a regional investment hotspot. The WEPACK 2026 Roadshow in Hanoi is not only a catalyst for China–Vietnam cooperation, but also a step towards placing Vietnam at the centre of the global conversation on smart and sustainable packaging.

If they can seize the opportunity to connect, share knowledge and tap capital flows at this event, Vietnamese packaging enterprises can move beyond the role of “latecomers” to become equal partners in the global packaging supply chain – heading toward a future that is greener, more open and full of promise.