Ho Chi Minh City Promotes Innovation and Logistics Hub through International City Cooperation

Ho Chi Minh City is deepening discussions on strengthening international cooperation in innovation and port-logistics development. On September 11, a forum on "Cooperation and Development in Innovation and Port-Logistics between Ho Chi Minh City and Major Cities Worldwide" was held in Vung Tau ward, a part of the city. This was a significant event within the "3rd Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Dialogue" series, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. The discussions saw participation from hundreds of representatives from countries including the UK, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, alongside domestic and international business representatives. Experts and managers from abroad pointed out that developing innovation requires investment in intermediate infrastructure such as science parks and shared laboratories. They also emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration between universities, research institutions, and businesses to reduce risks for companies in their early stages. In the port and logistics sector, the urgent need for green port development and the establishment of local government roles in supply chains were focal points. Participants also discussed the possibility of establishing city-level multilateral cooperation mechanisms to share data, improve competitiveness, and ensure the harmonization of environmental standards within global supply chains. Experts proposed a model integrating ports, logistics, urban areas, and economic zones. This model is seen as a reference for Ho Chi Minh City to enhance its infrastructure connectivity and reduce logistics costs. The role of the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port was particularly praised, and given its growing status as the country's largest inter-regional port-logistics coordination center, priority investment in connecting infrastructure, green port policies, digitalization, automation, free trade zones, and open ports was called for. Concluding the discussions, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, highly appreciated the practical experience sharing and concrete cooperation proposals from the speakers and experts. These insights will be valuable for the city in its policy formulation process. Mr. Ha stated that no locality can meet the increasingly high demands of the international market alone, and that linkage and mutual support between localities, businesses, and ecosystems are the inevitable path to enhancing each locality's competitiveness. Ho Chi Minh City is committed to working with its partners to translate these proposals into concrete action programs with clear roadmaps, responsibilities, and monitoring mechanisms.