As part of the visit, on September 24, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong and the delegation held talks with Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong congratulated Hong Kong on its development achievements in recent years and expressed his delight at the positive momentum in Vietnam-Hong Kong relations, particularly in economic and trade ties, investment, finance, logistics, education and training, and cultural exchanges.
Highlighting Hong Kong as one of Vietnam’s leading economic partners, including Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong spoke highly of the Hong Kong business community in the city. He noted that the community has maintained a presence and continued to grow for decades, operating effectively and making positive contributions to the development of both sides.
The city’s Vice Chairman called on the authorities and agencies of both sides to further deepen cooperation in a range of areas, including business connectivity; development of an international financial center; education and training, science and technology, and innovation; supply chains and logistics; stronger organization of trade and business-matching events and investment promotion activities; and greater promotion of the role and presence of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO).
Algernon Yau agreed with the cooperation proposals and directions put forward by Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong. He also proposed that the two sides continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between universities and research institutes in Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City; enhance coordination within multilateral trade frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 2.0 (CAFTA 2.0) and the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA); and promote cooperation in the development and operation of international financial centers, an area in which Hong Kong has considerable expertise.
On September 25, the delegation held working sessions with several specialized agencies of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, including the Civil Service Bureau, Digital Policy Office and Housing Department, to exchange experience in addressing pressing issues in urban development.
At a meeting with Ms. Ingrid Yeung, Secretary for the Civil Service, the two sides discussed the development and management of the civil service workforce, as well as the application of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation in public administration.
During a meeting with Mr. Daniel Cheung, Director of the Digital Policy Office, the delegation was briefed on Hong Kong’s e-government model, organizational and process restructuring alongside digital transformation, inter-agency coordination, and efforts to improve data infrastructure policies.
The delegation subsequently conducted a field visit to the 1823 Call Center, an operation managed by the Digital Policy Office that specializes in receiving and handling public enquiries and complaints.
The delegation also met with Ms. Winnie Ho, Director of the Housing Department, who briefed them on Hong Kong’s policies and experience in developing social housing and rental housing. The delegation also visited a public rental housing estate to learn about the management of residents in housing units whose rents are subsidized by the government.
As part of the visit, the delegation toured the Hong Kong Victoria Prison Historic Site, where revolutionary leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, later President Ho Chi Minh, was detained by the French colonial authorities from mid-1931 to 1933. The delegation also visited and held a working session with the Consulate General of Vietnam in Hong Kong, and surveyed several cultural, social, scientific and technological, and innovation facilities in Hong Kong.
