Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction: The city has no plans to mandate the conversion of gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles!

On December 12th, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center (ITPC), in collaboration with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ho Chi Minh City (JCCH), organized the 2025 Japanese Business Roundtable Conference. The aim was to facilitate direct dialogue, address obstacles, and promote a favorable investment and business environment for Japanese businesses operating in the city.

After hearing the proposals from Japanese businesses regarding the re-issuance of land use right certificates at Linh Trung 2 Export Processing Zone and Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc stated that, upon review, the converted land areas are all in accordance with the planning. In this case, the Japanese partner is only a secondary lessee and does not work directly with the State.

Therefore, he requested that Phu Nhuan Housing Business Company – the land leasing unit – work with the Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks Management Board (Hepza) to promptly complete the procedures related to land valuation and calculation of financial obligations arising from the adjustment of the land use coefficient.

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee requested that all relevant parties make every effort to resolve the issue completely within December so that businesses can stabilize their operations as soon as possible.

Regarding tax-related issues arising from the closure of the representative office, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department representative clearly explained the process and committed to resolving them within three working days from the date the Japanese company completes all necessary tax procedures and obligations as required.

Regarding feedback concerning the use of automated control gates and immigration procedures at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, a representative from the Immigration Department stated that the delays have been noted and will be addressed promptly to ensure a smoother process for foreign experts and businesspeople.

Regarding concerns about transportation infrastructure and the transition from gasoline to electric vehicles, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction stated that the city is implementing a green transition roadmap aimed at improving existing infrastructure and reducing traffic congestion. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has no plans to mandate the conversion of gasoline-to-electric vehicles. The city has only piloted emission reduction projects for public transport vehicles such as buses and taxis. Major policies will be thoroughly researched and widely discussed with businesses and citizens before being officially announced.

Concluding the conference, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc acknowledged the frank and constructive opinions from the Japanese business community and stated that many obstacles had been explained and resolved by relevant departments and agencies right at the conference. In the coming period, Ho Chi Minh City will strongly focus on institutional reform, improving the investment and business environment, streamlining appraisal processes, and shortening the processing time for projects, especially public-private partnership (PPP) projects. The city aims to reduce the cost and time of business procedures by at least 30%, ensuring that 98% of administrative dossiers are processed on time.

According to the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, these reforms will create a more transparent, consistent, and friendly investment environment, helping Japanese businesses confidently implement long-term plans, while promoting a green economy , circular economy, and sustainable growth. The city encourages Japanese businesses to invest in renewable energy, waste treatment, emission reduction, and smart city initiatives in the future.

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/so-xay-dung-tp-hcm-thanh-pho-chua-co-ke-hoach-bat-buoc-chuyen-doi-xe-xang-sang-xe-dien-1020196.html