Targeting those sectors, which are aligned with the city’s long-term development plan, is expected to boost production capacity, create new business opportunities, and attract further investment. Global investment has been flowing to places with well-developed infrastructure, a favorable business environment, and strong links to international supply chains. That has made the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam’s primary hub for business, trade, and international connectivity.
Nguyen Cong Vinh, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said: “Ho Chi Minh City is entering a new phase of development. Following an administrative merger, its urban economic space has expanded, creating more room for large-scale projects. Resolutions on urban development have provided the city with a breakthrough institutional framework of greater decentralization in planning and resource mobilization. Ho Chi Minh City prioritizes high-quality foreign direct investment and is determined to attract 19 billion USD in foreign investment this year.”
Attracting investment is just the first step. Commitments must be translated into concrete projects that are implemented on schedule, use capital efficiently, and make tangible contributions to the economy.
Marc Knapper, an advisor to the Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City, who served as US Ambassador to Vietnam from 2022 to early this year, and is current chairman of Knapper Global Advisors, says the city needs to continue streamlining administrative procedures, improving workforce quality, and developing integrated infrastructure to give businesses the confidence to invest for the long term.
“I think first of all, it’s clarity and ease of doing business. For example, a one-stop shop for investors and business people to be able to visit and understand what the rules are and what they need to do to invest here or do business with. Second, having a clear pipeline of projects. I think investors want to come and they want to see what the city's priorities are, such what they're able to make decisions where to invest, when to invest, how much to invest. And finally, again, it gets back to the people.”
The 13.5 billion USD in registered FDI to be announced at AEF 2026 will raise expectations of higher-quality growth. By translating investment into production capacity, jobs, technology, and added value, Ho Chi Minh City can strengthen its role as Vietnam’s primary economic hub and make an even greater contribution to the new phase of national development.
