Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC’s Party Agencies, hosted a working session with Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink, former US Ambassador to Vietnam and current board member of The Asia Group, along with a delegation visiting HCMC.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi commended Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink for his significant contributions to advancing Vietnam–US relations, particularly during the period when the two nations elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023. He emphasized that, over the three decades since the normalization of diplomatic relations, bilateral cooperation has continued to expand and deepen across multiple sectors.
In 2024 alone, the bilateral trade volume between HCMC and the US reached over US$10.7 billion, marking a 42-percent increase compared to 2023. This substantial growth, he noted, has positively contributed to the overall trade between the two countries. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi affirmed HCMC’s strong commitment to the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, underlining the city’s readiness to support businesses and create favorable conditions for long-term, effective cooperation with US investors.
Regarding the city’s development trajectory, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi shared that HCMC has recently implemented the two-tier local government model and expanded its administrative boundaries through the merger of Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau, aiming to build a dynamic and modern mega-urban hub. In this new context, the city is seeking to attract more international investment—particularly from US partners.
Discussing cooperation priorities, he proposed several key areas for collaboration, including the promotion of an international financial center in HCMC, high-tech and smart urban development, infrastructure and digital transformation, clean energy transition, and training of high-quality human resources.
Expressing his appreciation for HCMC’s development vision, Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink reaffirmed The Asia Group’s commitment to serving as a bridge between the business community and governments to foster robust bilateral investment. He voiced his desire to partner with HCMC in the long term and noted that, with The Asia Group’s strong regional presence, the firm would actively connect international—particularly US—corporations with opportunities in Vietnam, and vice versa.
