On August 12 in Ho Chi Minh City, Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha received Robyn Cahill, Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Engagement of the Northern Territory Government (Australia). The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the two sides.
Standing Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha presented the city’s development strategy after its merger, noting that Ho Chi Minh City now covers more than 6,600 square kilometers with a population of about 15 million. The city is building three economic pillars such as finance and commerce, high-tech industry, and seaport and logistics systems.
Ho Chi Minh City is prioritizing the former Binh Duong area as a hub for high-tech industry, innovation, research and development, and training high-quality human resources. It is also leveraging the advantages of the former Ba Ria - Vung Tau area in seaports, logistics, and energy. Strategic infrastructure projects are underway, including an International Financial Center and an International Exhibition Center, aimed at attracting high-quality investment capital.
Robyn Cahill expressed the Northern Territory’s desire to renew the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Ho Chi Minh City in 2014, aligning with the new development context. She emphasized that Ho Chi Minh City is a key partner in the region and highlighted opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, international education, workforce development, and skills exchange.
The minister also introduced the Northern Territory’s strengths in energy and strategic minerals. The region has vast natural gas reserves and 21 critical minerals, including rare earths essential for high-tech production. She voiced interest in collaborating with Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnamese enterprises to develop supply chains for essential minerals, advance high-tech processing, ensure energy security, and boost production.
The two sides also discussed potential cooperation in logistics, seaports, food processing, international education, and investment. Northern Territory leaders affirmed their commitment to working with Ho Chi Minh City to turn cooperation programs into concrete results, strengthening ties between the two localities.
On this occasion, the Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee invited Northern Territory leaders to attend the upcoming Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Dialogue scheduled for September, which aims to foster connections with partner localities and explore new growth drivers.
