The event was attended by Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, and Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee; US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper; and US Consul General in HCMC Susan Burns.
In her remarks, Consul General Susan Burns emphasized the multifaceted cooperation between HCMC and various US states, spanning education, healthcare, trade, and investment. She noted that these partnerships have significantly contributed to the strengthening of the US–Vietnam bilateral relationship.
Ms. Susan Burns praised the remarkable growth in two-way trade, which has surged from just a few hundred million US dollars three decades ago to nearly US$150 billion annually today. She stressed, “People-to-people connections are the enduring foundation of the US–Vietnam relationship going forward.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc reaffirmed HCMC’s strong commitment to enhancing cooperation with the United States—particularly as the city positions itself as a regional hub for innovation and sustainable development. He emphasized that this is a favorable moment for both sides to deepen ties in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, clean energy, and the digital economy.
The city leader also acknowledged the vital role played by the American business community in advancing economic collaboration. In 2024, bilateral trade between HCMC and the US exceeded $10.7 billion—up 42 percent year-on-year. The US currently has over 680 investment projects in HCMC, with total registered capital surpassing $1.4 billion.
“These figures reflect the trust, shared commitment, and promising outlook for future cooperation,” HCMC Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc said. He also noted that local-level partnerships have been contributing to fostering people-to-people exchange, mutual understanding, and strategic trust—key drivers of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the United States amid an increasingly complex global landscape.
He further pledged that HCMC would continue to work closely with the US Embassy, Consulate General, and business community to create favorable conditions for new investment initiatives—especially in high-tech industries, digital transformation, renewable energy, human resource development, and innovation-driven startups. These, he said, are crucial pillars for deepening the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a rapidly evolving global context.
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