The event took place on the afternoon of March 25 in Ho Chi Minh City, attended by Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Standing Vice Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee.
 "Discussion on commodities and derivatives markets.")
Delivering her remarks at the conference, Ms. Alexandra Smith, British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, noted that the development of international financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang presents substantial opportunities for Vietnam; however, their success hinges on establishing robust foundational frameworks from the outset.
According to her, a competitive international financial center must be built on three core pillars, including a robust legal framework, an independent and reliable regulatory system, and modern market services that enable efficient capital mobilization and circulation.
When these elements are aligned, such centers can become powerful growth engines, helping businesses access capital more easily, attracting high-quality foreign investment, and enhancing Vietnam’s position in the global financial system. The United Kingdom expressed its commitment to supporting Vietnam in building these foundations.
Sharing international experience, Ms. Angela Knight, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of establishing an independent regulator with international expertise, along with effective dispute resolution mechanisms to strengthen credibility.
Speaking at the conference, Standing Vice Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha highlighted that recent high-level meetings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are practical steps to deepen Vietnam–UK cooperation in finance and banking. These efforts support the implementation of the Vietnam–UK partnership on international financial centers, aligned with the countries’ upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2025.
He noted that Ho Chi Minh City values the key topics discussed at the conference, including commodities and derivatives markets, financial supervision, legal frameworks, and foreign investment attraction, as essential to building a modern, transparent, and competitive international financial center.
He reaffirmed that the city is striving to contribute to developing Vietnam’s international financial center into a regional hub. The city also highly appreciates the UK’s support and experience, and looks forward to further exchanges on legal frameworks, financial supervision, and best practices from successful models such as Astana and London.
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