Kazakhstan is about to open a consulate general and will have direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Nguyen Van Duoc, agreed to promote cooperation with Kazakhstan as an international financial center, open a consulate general, and establish direct flight connections, creating new momentum for bilateral relations with Kazakhstan.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc receives the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Vietnam, Kanat Tumysh, on the afternoon of December 15 - Photo: THANH HIEP

On the afternoon of December 15th, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc received the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Vietnam, Kanat Tumysh. During the meeting, both sides assessed that Vietnam-Kazakhstan relations are developing strongly, especially following the state visit of General Secretary To Lam to Kazakhstan in May 2025.

We value our excellent cooperative relationship.

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc warmly welcomed Ambassador Kanat Tumysh and affirmed that the leaders, government, and people of Ho Chi Minh City always cherish deep friendship with the country and people of Kazakhstan - one of the former Soviet Union countries that supported and assisted Vietnam in its national liberation and nation-building efforts.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City said he was honored to visit Kazakhstan during the state visit of General Secretary To Lam in May 2025, and to directly witness the upgrading of relations between the two countries to a Strategic Partnership – a historically significant visit that contributes to strengthening political trust and opening a new phase of development in bilateral relations.

In line with the shared understanding of the high-level leaders of the two countries, Ho Chi Minh City has actively promoted cooperation with its Kazakhstani partners, especially in the field of building the Ho Chi Minh City International Financial Center.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City highly appreciated the role of the Astana International Finance Centre (AIFC) in sharing experiences, organizing training, providing professional support, and accompanying Ho Chi Minh City in the process of forming a financial center.

He stated that the Ho Chi Minh City International Finance Center is expected to officially announce its establishment and begin operations in the near future, and expressed his hope to continue receiving close support and cooperation from AIFC during the operational phase.

A consulate general will soon be opened, along with direct flights between Kazakhstan and Ho Chi Minh City.

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Vietnam Kanat Tumysh - Photo: THANH HIEP

Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Kanat Tumysh announced two pieces of good news from Kazakhstan. Firstly, in the city of Almaty, a street has been officially renamed Ho Chi Minh Street. This is one of the largest streets named after President Ho Chi Minh in the former Soviet Union countries.

Secondly, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan signed a decision to establish the Consulate General of Kazakhstan in Ho Chi Minh City. The Ambassador expressed his hope to continue receiving the support and cooperation of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and relevant departments and agencies to ensure the smooth establishment of the Consulate General.

The Ambassador assessed that General Secretary To Lam's visit was of historical significance, creating new momentum for bilateral relations. Since the visit, Vietnam-Kazakhstan cooperation has developed at an "exceptional pace".

According to the Ambassador, bilateral trade turnover this year has reached approximately 1 billion USD. Both sides aim to increase it to 2 billion USD next year and target 5 billion USD by 2029.

Regarding tourism, approximately 1 million Kazakhstani tourists visited Vietnam in 2025, demonstrating the enormous potential for tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Regarding air connectivity, Ambassador Kanat Tumysh informed that Air Astana of Kazakhstan and EgyptAir (Greece) are ready to launch a direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Astana around the second half of 2026. The airlines are currently awaiting suitable aircraft suppliers to begin operating the route.

Ambassador Kanat Tumysh said that Kazakhstan plans to host the meeting of the Vietnam-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation in Hanoi in mid-2026.

In parallel, Kazakhstan wishes to organize a business forum connecting the business communities of Ho Chi Minh City and Kazakhstan right here in Ho Chi Minh City.

The ambassador emphasized that, following the merger and expansion of administrative boundaries, Ho Chi Minh City now contributes approximately 30% of Vietnam's GDP; therefore, organizing the business forum in Ho Chi Minh City is of particular importance in promoting bilateral cooperation.

In particular, following the visit of Renat Bekturov, Governor of the Astana International Finance Centre (AIFC), to Ho Chi Minh City, Kazakhstan highly appreciated the progress in building the Ho Chi Minh City International Finance Centre and expressed its readiness to cooperate closely in this field.

At the same time, the Ambassador proposed establishing an inter-regional cooperation mechanism between the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the governments of Almaty and Astana, and respectfully invited the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City to visit and work in Kazakhstan in 2026.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City highly appreciated and thanked Kazakhstan for the decision to open the Consulate General of Kazakhstan in Ho Chi Minh City, the naming of Ho Chi Minh Street in Almaty, and the plan to open a direct flight route, considering these to be important steps in promoting comprehensive cooperation between the two sides.

He also affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City fully supports the organization of a trade networking forum between businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and Kazakhstan, and expressed his pleasure at receiving the invitation to visit and work in Astana and Almaty as soon as possible.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc presents Vietnamese coffee to the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Vietnam, Kanat Tumysh - Photo: THANH HIEP

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/kazakhstan-sap-mo-tong-lanh-su-quan-duong-bay-thang-den-tp-hcm-1020220.html