Ho Chi Minh City is redefining its spatial layout and development pillars.
In his opening remarks, Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang acknowledged that the city is entering a new phase of development, with a broad vision and a desire to elevate its status to an international level. With over 14 million inhabitants and contributing nearly 25% of the country's GDP, Ho Chi Minh City continues to affirm its role as a center for training, economy , trade, finance, industry, education, healthcare, and international commerce in Vietnam.
Following its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau , Ho Chi Minh City is undergoing a strong restructuring of its development space, building a new strategy based on multi-layered thinking and integrated connectivity. Specifically, Ho Chi Minh City is defining 3 regions, 3 corridors, and 5 strategic pillars, including: high-tech and innovation industries driven by digital technology , AI, and big data; logistics linked to seaports, airports, and free trade zones; development of an international financial center; promotion of tourism and cultural industries as value-added sectors; and improvement of the quality of education , healthcare, science, and technology to regional and international standards.
Ho Chi Minh City is entering a new phase of development, with a broad vision and a desire to elevate its status.
PHOTO: Nhat Thinh
However, on its journey towards becoming a modern and dynamic metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City still faces many challenges. The administrative pressures of a large-scale city, the shortage of financial, technological, and infrastructure resources, along with the urgent need for a high-quality workforce, are creating significant bottlenecks. Furthermore, the logistics and transportation systems are incomplete, the quality of public services needs further improvement, and administrative procedures require significant streamlining. Meanwhile, competition among regional economic centers is becoming increasingly fierce.
To overcome these challenges, City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang emphasized that the city must innovate more decisively, maximize its internal resources, and proactively expand cooperation to attract experts, intellectuals, and businesses from both within and outside the country.
"Despite facing many challenges, Ho Chi Minh City is steadfastly pursuing innovation, expanding cooperation, and attracting resources to create a strong transformation in the new development phase. Today's event opens up a space for open and trustworthy strategic dialogue between the city's leaders and experts, scholars, and leaders of domestic and international corporations. This is an opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to listen to recommendations, focus on key areas in the new development strategy, and demonstrate its commitment to improving the investment and business environment, enhancing governance capacity, and removing bottlenecks for businesses," Mr. Tran Luu Quang suggested.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered a speech at the event.
PHOTO: Nhat Thinh
During a nearly 90-minute dialogue session chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang, and Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc, many leaders of large domestic and international corporations shared their opinions and expressed their desire to cooperate with the city in implementing major projects on digital transformation - green transformation, digital infrastructure - strategic infrastructure, international financial centers, and high-tech human resource development (especially AI)...
Within the framework of the program, many important memoranda of cooperation were signed between Ho Chi Minh City departments and agencies and international businesses and partners, spanning from AI, semiconductors, data, logistics, financial centers, supply chains, to low-space technology. The participation and interest of leading global corporations such as Sun Seven Stars, Huawei, Foxconn, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Hitachi, Hikvision, Sunwah, Nokia… demonstrate the growing attractiveness of Ho Chi Minh City as a destination for investment in next-generation technology and infrastructure. These corporations all share the expectation that Ho Chi Minh City will become a regional technology, industry, and finance hub, where they can test new models, develop R&D, expand supply chains, and support Vietnam's green growth strategy.
The journey is difficult, but it's a must-do.
Expressing his emotion at the sincere and heartfelt sharing from businesses, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the opinions had strongly inspired Vietnam to continue the very difficult but unavoidable tasks. These are the two centenary goals: by 2030, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party, Vietnam will become a developing country with a modern industrial base and an upper-middle-income country; and by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the nation, it will become a developed country with a high income.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that these are two very challenging goals, but Vietnam has demonstrated its determination with specific roadmaps: achieving 8% growth this year and, from 2026 onwards, aiming for consecutive double-digit growth for 10-15 years. On this journey, the support and assistance of friends around the world, based on the spirit of listening, understanding, sharing, and acting together, working together, sharing the victory, and developing together, is a crucial driving force. It is this sentiment that has encouraged Vietnam to resolutely achieve these goals, transforming nothing into something, making the difficult easy, and turning the impossible into the possible.
According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular are facing a unique context: the world is rapidly changing and unpredictable, multilateralism is under threat. Global growth is slowing, and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic still linger. Public debt is increasing, and global trade is declining due to tariff policies, meaning a decrease in the flow of goods, directly affecting production, business, livelihoods, and people's incomes. In this context, Vietnam remains steadfast in its orientation towards building a socialist-oriented market economy, implementing three strategic breakthroughs: transparent institutions, seamless infrastructure, and smart governance. Balancing these three breakthroughs is achieved through common practices, following international standards, and contributing to the overall development of the world.
For Ho Chi Minh City specifically, the city's leaders have clearly identified five pillars of development, and to achieve this, capital and the development of a capital market are essential. That's why Ho Chi Minh City must develop an international financial center. The National Assembly has issued Resolution 222, the Government has issued eight decrees, everything is being prepared very well, and Ho Chi Minh City will soon launch its international financial center this year. According to the Prime Minister, Ho Chi Minh City urgently needs the support of global business leaders and international financial institutions. In addition, regarding infrastructure, Ho Chi Minh City needs the cooperation of international partners to develop digital infrastructure. This is coupled with institutional reforms; as a financial center established later, Ho Chi Minh City will need more competitive institutions. The head of the government expects that when the city announces these institutions, international businesses will support and invest. Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City wishes to learn about human resource development and smart governance.
"With its dynamic and innovative tradition, and with the support and assistance of all of you, I am confident that Ho Chi Minh City will truly develop into the economic engine of Vietnam, capable of competing with major cities around the world and becoming an international megacity as envisioned by General Secretary To Lam," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh confidently stated.
Responding to the Prime Minister's directives, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc expressed his sincere appreciation and high regard for the contributions of representatives from businesses, localities, and international organizations. He affirmed that these contributions are invaluable in helping the city further improve its policy planning, support for businesses, and strategic development in the coming period.
Ho Chi Minh City in particular, and Vietnam in general, have determined that they must be self-reliant and develop through their own hands, minds, and maritime horizons. However, the help and support of international friends are indispensable. History has proven that Vietnam can overcome all difficulties, defeat all enemies, and rise from the ashes of war, thanks to its internal strength, but the help of the world is also very important and necessary.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh
Ho Chi Minh City is urgently completing the best conditions to be ready to operate the International Financial Center, striving to bring the Center into operation in December of this year; committed to creating a favorable, transparent, and attractive environment to attract investors. The city also commits to continuing to promote administrative reform, cutting unnecessary procedures, and improving the quality of government services for investors and businesses.
Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Van Duoc
A "golden population" structure cannot be transformed into "golden capabilities" if the younger generation does not proactively strive for advancement.
Speaking at the "Intelligent Generation Now" forum, which opened the Ho Chi Minh City Autumn Economic Forum 2025 on the morning of November 25th, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed: In all development priorities, the younger generation is always placed at the center with great trust and expectations. Ho Chi Minh City, the largest economic, scientific-technological, and innovation center in the country, is demonstrating a strong determination to become a focal point for initiatives and sustainable development models at the regional and international levels, and an ideal destination for young people to develop their intellect and talents. Vietnam is resolutely implementing many historic policies. Among them, the policy on innovation and science-technology, and digital transformation, is the most important driving force to build the foundation for a digital nation, a digital society, and a green economy. This is not just a trend but a mandate for the future. Vietnam's greatest advantage is its population of nearly 100 million, especially the younger generation, who are intelligent, creative, and full of ambition...
"Vietnam is fortunate to have a 'golden population,' but this golden population will not automatically translate into 'golden mindset' or 'golden capabilities' if young people do not proactively strive to improve themselves, equipping themselves with knowledge and discipline to lead the times. No one can prepare the future for young people better than they themselves," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
Nguyen Nga
Vietnam and Japan are developing mutually beneficial models.
On the morning of November 25th, in Quang Ninh, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the first Vietnam-Japan Local Cooperation Forum, themed "Partnering for Comprehensive Development - Building a Sustainable Future".
Looking back on more than 1,300 years of people-to-people exchanges and over 50 years of diplomatic relations, the Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam and Japan have continuously nurtured their friendship and cooperation, making it increasingly reliable, comprehensive, substantive, and effective. To date, Japan is a leading economic partner of Vietnam, ranking first in ODA and labor cooperation, third in investment, and fourth in trade and tourism.
Considering the significant potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, the Prime Minister suggested several directions for further strengthening cooperation, emphasizing the principle of "mutual benefit" and "what one side needs, the other side provides." The Prime Minister stressed that cooperation must be centered around businesses and the people, who serve as the main actors, objectives, driving forces, and resources. Local authorities need to listen to the voices of businesses and implement appropriate preferential policies, ensuring that the people are the primary beneficiaries with "three advantages": better jobs, higher incomes, and improved skills.
Regarding innovation and digital transformation, the Prime Minister proposed promoting cooperation models in digital technology, AI, smart cities, startup incubators, and R&D centers. He also expressed his hope that Japan would share its experience in building an innovation ecosystem, support Vietnamese localities in digital transformation, and enhance policy-making capacity in priority areas such as semiconductors and mobile infrastructure.
Calling on Japanese localities and businesses to continue trusting and being committed to Vietnam, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the first Vietnam-Japan Local Cooperation Forum would become a new impetus, opening up a promising and innovative path of cooperation between the two countries, further developing bilateral relations in accordance with the motto: "Sincerity, affection, trust, substance, effectiveness, mutual benefit".
* Later that evening, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the 23rd meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, held online with the Government headquarters and 21 coastal provinces and cities participating.
La Nghia Hieu - VNA
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-se-tro-thanh-sieu-do-thi-quoc-te-185251125230945854.htm
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presides over a meeting of the Steering Committee for the construction of the nuclear power plant.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/02/13/1770947038316_dsc-1534-jpg.webp)
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