HCMC seeks to expand infrastructure cooperation with Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Ho Chi Minh City is aiming to expand cooperation with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (China) in infrastructure, one of the city’s key sectors following its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.

Nguyen Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee, made the statement at the 2025 HCMC and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Investment and Trade Forum, held in HCMC on Thursday.

He emphasized that the city is implementing a number of strategic projects to foster economic development and international integration. Most notably, the HCMC International Financial Center Project was approved by the Politburo at the end of 2024.

“The city wishes to learn from Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading financial centers. Hong Kong’s development journey, especially its extensive application of green finance toward becoming a sustainable, green financial hub, provides valuable lessons for HCMC at this stage,” Dung said.

The Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a rapidly developing mega-urban region comprising Hong Kong, Macau, and nine cities in mainland China’s Guangdong province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing. The GBA is recognized as a globally influential innovation hub.

Dung noted that the GBA’s collective efforts to reduce carbon emissions, such as those by the Hydrogen Energy Alliance and the adoption of clean energy in manufacturing, offer practical insights for HCMC as it pursues a green transition.

He reiterated HCMC’s interest in strengthening infrastructure partnerships with GBA entities, stating that infrastructure remains a core development priority for the city in the post-merger period.

“The coordinated development model between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau is an excellent example for HCMC in enhancing regional connectivity and expanding development space. In addition to physical infrastructure, the city also aims to bolster 'soft connectivity' with the Greater Bay Area, particularly through digital transformation,” Dung added.

This includes collaboration on AI technology in urban management, building a big data ecosystem, and implementing a cross-border FinTech platform to facilitate payments.

The vice chairman also stressed the role of the Mekong Delta region and HCMC as key food suppliers to China, particularly the GBA. He called for deeper cooperation in the food processing industry by improving agricultural transport, enhancing trade mechanisms, and sharing advanced processing technologies - thereby enabling Vietnamese businesses to better access the GBA market.

Jonathan Choi, chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance, chairman of the Hong Kong-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of Sunwah Group, highlighted the strengths of the GBA during his remarks at the forum.

He noted that Hong Kong continues to serve as a global financial hub, boasting a transparent legal system, deep capital markets, and strong ties to international investors.

Choi pointed out that Shenzhen is renowned for its rapid technological advancements and hardware manufacturing capabilities, while Guangzhou leads in research, biotech, and smart transportation. Together, the cities in the GBA form a robust support network that accelerates the commercialization of innovation - from lab to market.

“With this foundation, I believe the GBA will continue to act as an effective bridge between China and Vietnam,” said Choi.

He emphasized that this role spans multiple areas: trade, investment, business development, innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable development.

“The openness and dynamism of GBA cities, combined with Vietnam and HCMC’s drive for deep integration, will create numerous opportunities for practical and sustainable cooperation,” he added.

Representing the Shenzhen municipal government at the forum, Jiang Likun, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, described Shenzhen’s pivotal role within the GBA.

He highlighted that Shenzhen had a GDP of $516.9 billion in 2024 and leads in strategic sectors such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and new energy vehicles. Jiang encouraged greater business collaboration between Vietnamese firms and Shenzhen’s vibrant tech and industrial sectors.