Ho Chi Minh City Launches AI Call Center, Digital Payment Platform for Taxpayer Support

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's southern economic hub, is advancing the adoption of new digital tools to improve taxpayer services and administrative efficiency. On August 8, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department announced and launched an AI-powered call center and integrated tax information into major digital payment platforms. This initiative aims to enable taxpayers to search and inquire about tax-related information quickly, accurately, and securely. The backdrop for this digital transformation push is the city's robust tax revenue performance. From January to July this year, the city's total revenue exceeded 466 trillion VND (approximately 2 trillion JPY), marking a significant 24.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Under Vietnam's one-party system, maintaining economic growth and strengthening the fiscal base are paramount national objectives, making stable tax revenue collection essential for both central and local governments. Ho Chi Minh City is leveraging this revenue surge to accelerate its digital transformation, aiming to enhance its competitiveness as an international business hub. The city's Tax Department has consistently worked to strengthen engagement with taxpayers, including dialogues with businesses and support for foreign-invested enterprises (FDI) in fulfilling their tax obligations. The integration of the AI call center and digital payment platforms represents a further step in these efforts. Notably, the proliferation of digital payments aligns with Vietnam's broader trend towards cashless transactions, and this integration is expected to significantly contribute to simplifying administrative procedures and improving convenience.