Turning Ho Chi Minh City into an 'international megacity in the digital age'

On the afternoon of November 25, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the dialogue program "CEO 500 - Tea Connect" with the theme "Ho Chi Minh City: Towards an international megacity in the digital age".

Restructuring development space

Within the framework of the Autumn Economic Forum 2025, on the afternoon of November 25, in Ho Chi Minh City, the CEO 500 - TEA CONNECT program took place with the theme: " Ho Chi Minh City: Towards an international megacity in the digital age".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the program. Also attending the program were leaders of central and local ministries, branches and international delegations.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the CEO 500 - TEA CONNECT program. Photo: Hoang Chien

Speaking at the program, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang emphasized that after the merger, Ho Chi Minh City is entering a new development phase with a broad vision and great aspiration, which is to become a modern, dynamic, livable, globally competitive city.

With a population of over 14 million, contributing nearly 25% of the country's GDP, Ho Chi Minh City continues to play the role of an economic locomotive, a major center of commerce, finance, industry, education, healthcare and international trade. However, the stature of an "international city" is not only measured by population size or economic contribution, but also by growth quality, connectivity, governance efficiency, creativity and quality of living and working environment.

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang attended the program.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang said that the city is implementing a strategy to restructure the development space, shaping a multi-polar, multi-center urban model, aiming at 3 dynamic regions and economic corridors, based on 5 strategic pillars including: High-tech industry and innovation. In which, digital technology, semiconductors, big data are the driving force throughout; logistics and free trade, associated with seaports - airports - free trade zones; developing an international financial center; tourism and cultural industry, creating added value from creative arts and culture, international events; education, health care, science - technology, aiming at regional and international standards.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang attended the event.

However, the city is also facing many major challenges. These include the administrative pressure of a mega-city with a high growth rate; the lack of financial resources, technology, infrastructure and high-quality human resources; the logistics system and transport infrastructure need to continue to be improved. In addition, there is an urgent need to improve the quality of public services, reform administrative procedures, strengthen digital governance; and fierce competition between economic centers in the region and the world.

Therefore, in addition to internal innovation, expanding cooperation - attracting experts, intellectuals, and domestic and foreign businesses plays a particularly important role. An international city must be built on the foundation of a deep network of partners, global knowledge and a dynamic business ecosystem in the digital age.

The Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee affirmed that the CEO 500 - TEA Connect program was organized to create a space for strategic, open and trustworthy dialogue between the city's leaders and a team of experts, scholars and leading domestic and international CEOs. The exchange contents focused on 5 strategic development pillars, directly contributing to the completion of the growth model and enhancing the competitiveness of Ho Chi Minh City in the new period.

Scene of the dialogue program. Photo: Hoang Chien

Self-reliance, self-improvement and promoting cooperation

Speaking at the dialogue program, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the opinions at the program that created motivation and inspiration for Vietnam to continue to carry out the work to realize the two 100-year goals set: By 2030, becoming a developing country, modern industry, high average income; by 2045, becoming a developed country, high income. According to the Prime Minister, this is a very challenging and difficult goal, but it cannot be avoided, with the spirit of "turning nothing into something, turning difficult into easy, turning impossible into possible".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gave a speech at the program. Photo: Hoang Chien

Regarding Vietnam's fundamental factors and development perspectives, the Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam consistently focuses on building three fundamental factors: Building a socialist-oriented market economy, promoting international integration; building socialist democracy; and building a socialist rule-of-law state.

Vietnam has a consistent viewpoint: Maintaining political and social stability, social order and safety - security - safety - people's safety; taking people as the center, the subject, the goal, the driving force and the most important resource of development, people are the decisive factor; not sacrificing progress, social justice, social security and the environment to pursue mere economic growth.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the CEO 500 - TEA CONNECT dialogue program. Photo: Hoang Chien

To implement the 5 development pillars of Ho Chi Minh City as presented by Secretary of the City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang, the Prime Minister pointed out 5 important contents that require support and cooperation from international friends and partners, including: Mobilizing capital (including the establishment of an international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City this year); developing digital infrastructure; building open and competitive institutions; training high-quality human resources; smart governance.

To do this, Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City determined the spirit of self-reliance, "rising from our own hands, minds, land, sky, and sea", taking internal strength as the fundamental, strategic, long-term, and decisive factor, but indispensable is the support and cooperation of international friends and partners, and Vietnam's history has also shown this.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also expressed his hope and belief that Ho Chi Minh City will be more creative, more self-reliant and learn from both successful and unsuccessful lessons to continue to be the largest economic center , the economic locomotive of Vietnam and become an international megacity as directed by General Secretary To Lam, competing with major cities in the region and in the world.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that in the current context, the priority goal is to maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation, ensure major balances of the economy and promote growth. In this effort of Vietnam, there are contributions from international friends and partners, including investors and businesses.

On behalf of the leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam, the Prime Minister appreciated the cooperation, assistance, companionship and valuable contributions of businesses and investors and emphasized the spirit of harmonious interests, shared risks, "unity for strength, cooperation for benefits, dialogue to consolidate and strengthen trust".

Royal War

Source: https://congthuong.vn/dua-tp-ho-chi-minh-tro-thanh-sieu-do-thi-quoc-te-trong-ky-nguyen-so-431822.html