Ho Chi Minh City "rolls out the red carpet" to welcome investment from Australia.

The "Meet Australia 2026" program opens up opportunities to promote substantive cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Australia.

Báo Sài Gòn Giải phóng•19/05/2026

On the morning of May 19th, the "Meet Australia 2026" program opened at the Binh Duong Convention and Exhibition Center (Binh Duong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), with the participation of leaders from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , representatives of the Australian Government, and a large number of business people from both countries.

Attending the event were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Gillian Bird, Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Kate Wallace, and Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City...

This program is not only a trade and investment promotion activity but is also expected to become a forum connecting visions, beliefs, and actions between management agencies, localities, and businesses of the two countries in the new phase of cooperation.

Speaking at the opening session, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized that the upgrading of relations between Vietnam and Australia to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024 has opened up a broader and more substantive space for cooperation between the two countries.

According to Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Ho Chi Minh City identifies Australia as an important, close, and highly complementary strategic partner. Over the past period, Ho Chi Minh City has effectively maintained many cooperation programs with major Australian states and territories, recording positive growth in trade, investment, and high-quality education and training.

Ho Chi Minh City leaders believe that there is still great potential for cooperation between the two sides, especially as the city is entering a new phase of development with an area of over 6,700 km² and a population of over 14 million people.

In its future development strategy, Ho Chi Minh City aims for faster, greener, and smarter growth, focusing on key sectors such as high technology, international financial centers, modern logistics, innovation, high-quality healthcare, tourism, and the circular economy.

"These are all areas where Australia has leading strengths. Both sides need to accelerate further in transforming potential and cooperation commitments into concrete projects on the ground, creating substantive and long-term cooperation mechanisms," Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha emphasized.

According to the organizers, the "Meet Australia 2026" program focuses on three key areas: promoting trade and investment, developing green energy and sustainable growth, and building a future-ready workforce.

Through discussions and direct networking activities, Ho Chi Minh City hopes that Australian universities, research institutes, financial institutions, and businesses will seek further opportunities for cooperation and suitable partners in Vietnam.

Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha also affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City is committed to continuing to strongly improve the investment and business environment, promoting digital transformation in public administration, streamlining administrative procedures, and strengthening direct dialogue to promptly resolve difficulties for the business community and foreign investors.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong said that in the context of Vietnam's efforts to promote economic growth and achieve long-term development goals, diplomacy serving economic development has been identified as a key task.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prioritizes promoting economic and technological diplomacy, while strengthening coordination among ministries, localities, and businesses to expand opportunities for international cooperation, including with Australia.

"With a foundation of trusted political relations, strong complementarity between the two economies, and a forward-looking vision, Vietnam and Australia are fully equipped to become a model of dynamic and substantive cooperation, contributing to the prosperous development of the Asia-Pacific region," Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong stated.

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/tphcm-trai-tham-do-don-lan-song-dau-tu-tu-uc-1021365.html