Ho Chi Minh City calls on Japanese businesses to invest in 131 green technology and logistics projects

(Dan Tri) - After expanding its administrative boundaries, Ho Chi Minh City called on Japanese enterprises to invest in 131 projects in the fields of high technology, smart cities, green energy and modern logistics.

On the afternoon of August 5, the City Investment and Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) in collaboration with the Hyogo Prefecture Government (Japan) organized the Ho Chi Minh City and Hyogo Prefecture Economic Forum. This year's forum was held under the theme of Green and Digital Transformation Trends: For Sustainable Development Goals.

"Do not sacrifice the environment for mere growth"

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha - Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee - said that the forum took place in the context of the world witnessing profound changes in geopolitics and economics and continuing to face enormous challenges in terms of environment and climate.

Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (Photo: Organizing Committee).

According to Mr. Ha, the city's consistent motto is to put people at the center , resolutely not sacrifice the environment in exchange for pure economic growth, economic development must be associated with improving people's lives.

Ho Chi Minh City identifies digital transformation - green transformation as an objective requirement, strategic choice, top priority and breakthrough driving force for rapid and sustainable economic growth in the new era.

Mr. Ha said that since July 1, Ho Chi Minh City has entered a completely new stage of development. With the merger of administrative boundaries with the two provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau , the new Ho Chi Minh City has been significantly expanded in terms of area, population and especially in terms of potential and development space.

After the merger, Ho Chi Minh City calls for investment in 131 projects.

Sharing at the event, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Toan - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance - said that after the merger, Ho Chi Minh City now has nearly 14 million people, contributing about 24% of the country's GDP. The city is not only an important political, commercial and financial center of Vietnam but also a link connecting major cities in the region such as Bangkok, Singapore, Shanghai or Tokyo within a radius of just a few hours flight.

Representatives of the Department of Finance expect Japanese enterprises to invest in areas of strength, especially areas with high knowledge and technology content in Ho Chi Minh City such as smart manufacturing, semiconductor technology, biotechnology, smart cities, logistics and green - sustainable solutions.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Toan - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance (Photo: BTC).

Mr. Toan said that in the future development orientation, the city government will establish three main driving forces after merging administrative boundaries with neighboring localities. Ho Chi Minh City will continue to play the role of a financial, service and innovation center of the country and the region.

The city is expanding its investment attraction policy in the fields of financial technology (fintech), artificial intelligence, innovative startups, high-quality education and international-standard healthcare services. Currently, this area has 84 projects calling for investment, notably the International Finance Center, which is being implemented with high determination from the Central Government and the city government.

This project is expected to become a place to connect capital flows in the ASEAN region, and Ho Chi Minh City especially welcomes the participation of banks, investment funds and financial institutions from Japan.

Meanwhile, the Binh Duong area (old) after the merger is oriented to become the driving force of industrial growth of the whole region, with a solid foundation of industrial park infrastructure. The government prioritizes selective investment attraction, focusing on clean technology, smart manufacturing and developing a logistics system connecting the Central Highlands, the Southeast and key seaports.

In this area, there are 25 projects calling for investment, notably the Logistics Zone 1 and 2 projects (Hoi Nghia commune, old Tan Uyen city) and a series of large-scale urban areas being planned.

For the old Ba Ria - Vung Tau area, which is positioned as the gateway to the sea of the entire region, the city has identified this as the national marine economic center in the future. The government will promote investment attraction in deep-water seaports, heavy industries such as petrochemical refining, renewable energy, seaport logistics and high-end marine tourism.

Transport connecting waterways, roads and railways will be developed synchronously to form a strategic maritime logistics axis. There are currently 22 projects calling for investment in this area, notably the Vung Tau International Passenger Port, Phu My Industrial Park and Long Son LNG Thermal Power Plant.

Abe Ryota, an economist at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), said that Japanese households and businesses are actively seeking new investment channels. In the domestic market, the shift from savings to investment is taking place strongly, while individual overseas investment is also considered a field with great potential for development in the coming time.

According to Mr. Abe, the positive economic growth in many regions outside Japan, combined with the weakening of the yen, has contributed to a significant improvement in the operating results of global businesses with Japanese origins. This is a factor that encourages Japanese investors to seek opportunities in emerging economies, including Vietnam.

Citing official data from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bank of Japan (BOJ), SMBC experts said the number of Japanese enterprises operating in Vietnam has increased significantly in recent years. In 2019, Vietnam recorded 1,944 Japanese enterprises operating. By 2023, this number had increased to 2,394 enterprises.

Mr. Dinh Hong Ky, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Green Business Association, expects that the Japanese business community - especially those from Hyogo province - will find many specific investment cooperation opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City in the coming time.

According to Mr. Ky, the top three potential areas that can promote bilateral cooperation include energy-saving technology and carbon management for new industrial parks and urban areas; environmental equipment and solutions for logistics infrastructure, water supply and drainage systems and waste treatment; along with cooperation in training ESG human resources and building a set of sustainable development standards for the city's key economic sectors.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/tphcm-keu-goi-doanh-nghiep-nhat-dau-tu-131-du-an-cong-nghe-logistics-xanh-20250805191259345.htm