(17 December 2024)

Sunwah – On 17 December 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Investment & Business Forum was successfully held in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The event was co-organized by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (CGCC), the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance (GBA Alliance), the Hong Kong-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce (HKVCC), in collaboration with the Investment and Trade Promotion Center of HCMC (ITPC), the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in Guangzhou (CCPIT), and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (HKETO).

Aimed at promoting exchange and multi-sector cooperation between China, particularly the GBA, and Vietnam, especially HCMC, this was considered a valuable opportunity for businesses on both sides to communicate and strengthen cooperation in potential fields such as investment, finance, the green economy, science and technology, import-export, e-commerce, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and food products, etc.

The event’s distinguished guests included Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee; Mr. Wei Huaxiang, Consul General of China in HCMC; Ms. Zhang Yan, Deputy Director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in Guangzhou; Mr. Owin Fung, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore; along with leaders from various departments and localities. The forum also brought together more than 200 senior representatives from local associations and businesses and a delegation of 60 business leaders from the GBA.

From left to right: Mr. Jason Choi (second), Vice Chairman of GBA Alliance; Mr. Owin Fung (third), Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore; Mr. Wei Huaxiang (fourth), Consul General of China in HCMC; Mr. Vo Van Hoan (fifth), Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee; Dr. Jonathan Choi (sixth), Chairman of GBA Alliance, CGCC, HKVCC and Sunwah Group; Mr. Jesse Choi (ninth), Vice Chairman of GBA Alliance and Regional Director of Sunwah Group (ASEAN); and Ms. Zhang Yan (tenth), Deputy Director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in Guangzhou;

Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, noted that the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and the GBA in particular and China in general continues to see significant development in many fields, especially in economics, trade, investment, and tourism.

Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, delivered the Opening speech at the Forum.

Currently, Vietnam continues to hold the position of China’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and the fourth-largest trading partner of China (after the U.S., Japan, and South Korea). China is Vietnam’s largest import market and the second-largest export market. According to data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the first seven months of 2024, investment from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region into Vietnam reached USD 2.19 billion, and from mainland China reached USD 1.64 billion. China also leads in the number of projects implemented in Vietnam. Previously, Chinese FDI into Vietnam mainly focused on the processing and manufacturing industry, furniture, footwear, and garment production. However, Chinese investment is now shifting towards high-tech industries, components, parts for industrial production, electronics, automobiles, and green energy. HCMC is the locality with the highest number of Chinese investment projects, with 731 projects.

Mr. Vo Van Hoan emphasized that HCMC, a special city, achieved a GDP growth rate of 7.17% in 2024, contributing 27% of the national budget. With a population of nearly 10 million and an expanding middle class, HCMC represents a vast and highly potential market for Chinese businesses, especially those from the GBA.

Dr. Jonathan Choi, Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Chairman of the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance, Chairman of the Hong Kong-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of Sunwah Group, shared in his opening remarks: “Since reopening after the pandemic, our three organizations have frequently organized trade promotion activities, leading business delegations to visit key government agencies in Vietnam and conduct field trips in various provinces and cities. These efforts aim to encourage GBA enterprises to explore and invest in the Vietnamese market. At the same time, we have also had the honor of welcoming delegations from the Vietnamese government and businesses to Hong Kong, Guangdong, and other major cities in China to discuss bilateral cooperation opportunities.”

Dr. Jonathan Choi, Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Chairman of the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance, Chairman of the Hong Kong-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of Sunwah Group.

Mr. Wei Huaxiang (fourth), Consul General of China in HCMC

In the keynote speeches, Ms. Tran Thi Hai Yen, Director of the Southern Investment Promotion Center under the Foreign Investment Agency of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, shared about the status of attracting foreign investment in the southern region. Centered on HCMC and neighboring provinces such as Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria – Vung Tau, the southern region is currently an attractive destination for foreign investors. Meanwhile, Ms. Cao Thi Phi Van, Deputy Director of ITPC, highlighted the advantages of HCMC, including its strategic location, an area of over 2,000 square kilometers, and a population of over 10 million. HCMC possesses many factors that attract international investors. It is also the core city and growth pole of the Southeast region, equipped with a complete network of modern road, rail, waterway, and air transport, facilitating better connectivity both regionally and internationally.

Ms. Cao Thi Phi Van, Deputy Director of ITPC

Representing the Hong Kong government, Ms. Maisie Chan, Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, shared Hong Kong’s strengths as one of the key cities of the GBA and the significant policies Hong Kong is implementing to promote economic, trade, tourism, financial cooperation, and talent attraction with Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam.

Ms. Maisie Chan, Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong government

Concluding the session, Mr. Jesse Choi, Chairman of the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance Vietnam Chapter, emphasized that the Alliance has been leveraging its strengths in technology, finance, manufacturing, and innovation to support Vietnamese businesses in accessing the Chinese market and building long-term partnerships. Through its Vietnam branch, the Alliance has organized investment and trade promotion forums that provide Vietnamese enterprises with valuable market trends, policy insights, and opportunities. Additionally, the Alliance promotes bilateral investment, connecting Vietnamese businesses with strategic partners and encouraging cooperation in potential fields such as digital transformation, the green economy, and smart urban development.

Mr. Jesse Choi, Chairman of the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance Vietnam Chapter.

As part of the Forum, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in Guangzhou signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ho Chi Minh City branch of GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance. This aims to enhance exchanges and organize trade and investment promotion activities between the GBA and Vietnam.

Representative of CCPIT, Mr. Gao Xiaodong (left), signed the MOU with the representative of Ho Chi Minh City branch of GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance, Ms. Katie Nguyen (right)

The forum also featured more than 15 business matchmaking sessions, facilitating direct one-on-one exchanges between GBA enterprises and Vietnamese businesses focused on industrial infrastructure development, financial services, commercial production, etc. These meetings allowed businesses to present their products and services, learn about market needs and cooperation potential, and establish new relationships to expand business operations and sustainable growth.

The HCMC Investment and Business Forum with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was one of the activities within the framework of the GBA business delegation’s visit to Vietnam from December 16 to 20, 2024. This delegation included more than 60 entrepreneurs and senior representatives in various fields such as financial services, manufacturing, real estate, technology, etc. Sunwah Group (Hong Kong), with over 50 years of business activity in Vietnam, was the coordinating and main sponsor of the delegation’s activities in Hanoi and HCMC. Supporting organizations included the Hong Kong-Yangtze River Delta International Business Alliance, the Guangdong Business Association in Vietnam, the Hong Kong Business Association in Vietnam (HKBAV), and the Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM). Sponsors for the Forum included Tín Nghĩa-Phương Đông Industrial Park Corporation, Amata Long Thanh Urban Corporation, Saigontel, Techcombank, VPBank, and the HCMC branch of Bank of China.