At the meeting, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Chairman of the city People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc welcomed the ambassador and noted with satisfaction the continued positive development of relations between Vietnam and Malaysia.
HCMC Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc emphasized that Malaysia is among the leading investors in Vietnam and an important trading partner of Ho Chi Minh City.
The chairman appreciated the ambassador’s efforts in strengthening cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of trade and investment. He expressed his hope that the Malaysian Embassy would continue to encourage Malaysian enterprises to expand their presence and explore new investment opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City, thereby contributing to further deepening bilateral relations.
According to Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc, Malaysia currently has more than 460 investment projects in Ho Chi Minh City with total registered capital exceeding US$6.1 billion.
He noted that the city prioritizes attracting investment in high-tech industries and innovation-driven sectors, which align with Malaysia’s development orientation, and highlighted the progress in developing the Ho Chi Minh City International Financial Center, which is expected to create additional opportunities for financial cooperation and investment.
Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc further expressed his hope that both sides would continue to promote cooperation in areas such as trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, thereby contributing to the strengthening of ties between the two countries.
Ambassador Dato’ Tan Yang Thai congratulated Ho Chi Minh City on its dynamic development and reaffirmed Malaysia’s interest in strengthening cooperation with the city. He noted that bilateral trade between Malaysia and Vietnam reached over US$21 billion in 2025, an increase of approximately 19 percent. Ho Chi Minh City plays a key role in many trade and investment activities.
The ambassador highlighted the strong potential for further cooperation in multifaced sectors including semiconductors, renewable energy and financial services. He also expressed Malaysia’s interest in exploring opportunities related to the Ho Chi Minh City International Financial Center, particularly in the field of Islamic finance.
The ambassador also highlighted the steady growth in tourism exchanges between the two countries, noting that more than 300,000 Malaysian visitors traveled to Vietnam in 2025, many of whom visited Ho Chi Minh City, while the number of Vietnamese tourists to Malaysia has also been increasing.
He thanked the city authorities for their continued support and favorable conditions for Malaysian businesses operating in Ho Chi Minh City, and expressed confidence that economic and investment cooperation between Malaysia and the city will continue to expand in the coming years.
