This is part of a working visit by a delegation from the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC), Kazakhstan, to Ho Chi Minh City.
The business roundtable themed “Cooperation for Development of Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, in coordination with the AIFC.
Exploring cooperation opportunities
In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, affirmed that General Secretary To Lam's state-level visit to Kazakhstan in May not only strengthened political trust between Vietnam and Kazakhstan but also signaled Vietnam's strong resolve to elevate relations with Kazakhstan to a new phase.
He expressed his deep impression of AIFC's achievements as a leading financial center in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Notably, these include outstanding achievements such as the development of the AIFC Tech Hub, the Astana International Exchange (AIX), the digital asset exchange and the Fintech Lab's sandbox mechanism.
According to the Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Ho Chi Minh City is located in the center of Southeast Asia, not only easily connecting with major financial centers in the region but also facilitating international trade and capital exchange.
Through this roundtable event, HCMC leaders hope to gain valuable experience from the AIFC and explore cooperation opportunities to realize the vision of establishing a Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City in the near future.
Representing Kazakhstan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Vietnam Kanat Tumysh affirmed that the business roundtable between Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Astana, Kazakhstan is directly demonstrates that high-level visits have created more momentum for the development of bilateral and multilateral relations between the two countries.
Proposal to establish an exchange channel
During the discussion, delegates presented groundbreaking mechanisms, policies, the vision and structure of the Vietnam International Financial Center, foreign exchange and banking policies, listing and lending activities, including those with foreign entities.
Additionally, they also proposed to establish a regular exchange channel between the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance and the AIFC to serve as a foundation for deeper and more effective coordination.
According to Mr. Dinh Khac Huy, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance, AIFC's successful model offers valuable lessons for HCMC, especially its flexible financial and legal mechanisms; independent and transparent governance model; digital infrastructure, international stock exchange, fintech startup ecosystem; and regional connectivity and cross-border cooperation.
