HCM City accelerates administrative reform to facilitate investment

Municipal leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to cutting red tape and shortening processing times. The city recently issued a decision reducing timelines for eight administrative procedures in the investment sector, including shortening the issuance of investment registration certificates from 10 to 8 days and cutting procedures for capital contributions and share acquisitions from 15 to 8 days.

HCM City speeds up administrative reforms to boost investment (Photo: VNA)
HCM City speeds up administrative reforms to boost investment (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is intensifying administrative reform as foreign investors show rising interest in opportunities across the southern economic hub. In recent months, municipal leaders have held a series of working sessions with major international corporations seeking to expand or launch new projects.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong recently met representatives of France-based HDF Energy, which set up its Vietnam office in 2022.

According to the firm’s Vietnam Director Tran Khanh Viet Dung, HDF is preparing an investment portfolio worth around 500 million USD, covering renewable energy projects, a green hydrogen river bus service on the Saigon river, cooperation on a green port in Can Gio, green energy supply for Con Dao, and research on a hydrogen-powered urban rail line.

Earlier, during a meeting with city leaders in November, Amata Vietnam CEO Somhatai Panichewa said the group was developing a proposal for a new industrial park project in Chau Duc with a minimum investment of 180 million USD, targeting high-tech industries, logistics and smart urban development. She noted that the master plan and feasibility study had been completed with Japanese partners.

A number of other investors have also expressed interest. De Heus of the Netherlands is studying opportunities at the city’s International Financial Centre. The UAE-based G42 plans to invest nearly 2 billion USD in an AI super data centre, while KinhBac City Development Holding Corporation, in cooperation with Accelerated Infrastructure Capital and VietinBank, is preparing a 200 MW AI-enabled data centre project of similar value.

Alongside new proposals, several foreign enterprises plan to expand operations. Techtronic Industries aims to enlarge its Milwaukee facility at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park. Intel Vietnam CEO Kenneth Tse revealed that the corporation was considering shifting assembly, packaging and testing activities from Costa Rica to Vietnam and requested further support from city authorities.

Municipal leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to cutting red tape and shortening processing times. The city recently issued a decision reducing timelines for eight administrative procedures in the investment sector, including shortening the issuance of investment registration certificates from 10 to 8 days and cutting procedures for capital contributions and share acquisitions from 15 to 8 days.

Adjustments to existing projects have also been simplified, with several procedures reduced to between 2 and 4 working days. These reforms are expected to further strengthen HCM City’s appeal to foreign investors in the coming period./.

VNA

See more

Local residents and visitors tour and shop at a fair. (Photo: VNA)

Made in Vietnam Fair set to open in Hanoi

The Made in Vietnam Fair will showcase a wide range of products, including industrial and consumer goods, processed foods, agricultural produce and handicrafts, with the participation of distribution systems, e-commerce platforms, digital platforms and digital financial solution providers operating in Vietnam.

2025 a good year for Vietnam’s securities sector: SSC

2025 a good year for Vietnam’s securities sector: SSC

During the year, the SSC made significant progress in improving the legal and policy framework. Institutional work was implemented in a coordinated manner, including the issuance of two decrees, one resolution, seven circulars and three major schemes. At the same time, the regulator strengthened policy dialogue and expanded cooperation with international organisations to support the market upgrade process.

Vietnam shows strong FDI performance in the first 11 months of 2025 (Source: vtv.vn)

Vietnam shifting FDI attraction focus from volume to quality

As production relocation to Southeast Asia accelerates and competition for FDI intensifies, Vietnam faces increasing pressure from regional rivals such as India, Malaysia and Indonesia, which are offering bold tax incentives and developing specialised industrial parks. This reality requires Vietnam to shift its focus from attracting large volumes of capital to drawing high-quality investment, prioritising core technologies, innovation, value chain linkages and higher localisation rates.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Hoang Nguyen Dinh inspects IUU fishing prevention efforts at Hung Thai Port in Long Hai commune. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City steps up oversight of unqualified fishing vessels

HCM City currently has 4,475 fishing vessels, all of which have been registered and updated on the VNFishbase system. Among them, 4,268 vessels, or 95.37%, have been granted fishing licences, while 207 unqualified vessels are being strictly managed and kept ashore.

Airlangga Hartarto (fifth from right), Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, and CEO of VinFast Asia Pham Sanh Chau (sixth from right) at the plant opening ceremony on December 15. (Photo: VinFast)

VinFast inaugurates EV plant in Indonesia

The VinFast Subang plant was completed and put into operation just 17 months after groundbreaking, demonstrating the company's rapid execution capability and strong implementation capacity. This is VinFast's fourth operational facility worldwide, and its first plant in Indonesia and Southeast Asia outside of Vietnam.

From early December, major retail chains in Ho Chi Minh City have recorded a noticeable increase in shoppers seeking Tet products. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City businesses ramp up production to meet Lunar New Year demand

From early December, major retail chains in the city have recorded a noticeable increase in shoppers seeking Tet products. Many consumers are taking advantage of promotional programmes to purchase gift items with long shelf lives, such as confectionery, soft drinks and processed foods, well ahead of the holiday peak.

Workers process fish to be tinned for export at KTC Canned Food Factory under Kien Giang Trading JSC. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam to host seminar on export growth strategies

Vietnam's exports rose 16.1% to 430.2 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2025, while total trade hit 839.8 billion USD during the same period. This strong performance shows that exports remain a key driver of economic growth, boosting Vietnam's standing on the world stage in recent years.

The vessel carrying the 2 millionth TEU arrives at Hai Phong Port. (Photo:VNA)

Hai Phong Port reaches 2-million-TEU milestone

Handling the 2 millionth TEU in 2025 not only demonstrates Hai Phong Port’s operational capacity and the collective efforts of its workforce, but also highlights its increasingly important role in regional and global supply chains, the confidence of shipping lines, logistics firms and the business community, and the effectiveness of policies to improve the investment climate and strengthen maritime infrastructure and services.

Melons labelled with traceability codes on display at the Song Van agricultural produce store in Ninh Binh city, Ninh Binh province. (Photo: VNA)

Tracing origins hindered by fragmented data systems

As the Government accelerates the digital economy, establishing a unified national traceability system has become a crucial move to end data fragmentation and disconnection among ministries, sectors and localities.