Strengthening development linkages between Ho Chi Minh City and Southeast, Mekong Delta localities

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the authorities of Dong Nai City, Can Tho City, and the provinces of Tay Ninh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang, and Ca Mau co-held a conference on September 18 to review socio-economic development cooperation in the 2023-2025 period and sign cooperation agreements for the 2026-2030 period.

Local leaders preside over the conference. Photo: Vuong The

The conference brought together more than 300 delegates, including leaders of ministries, central sectors, and local authorities, along with representatives of business associations, enterprises, and experts. The Dong Nai delegation included Nguyen Tuan Anh, Member of the City Party Committee’s Standing Board and Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, as well as representatives of various departments and sectors.

Addressing the conference, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Minh Thanh said that recent cooperation had laid the foundation for expanding development space. In the coming period, cooperation needs to be further deepened by capitalizing on the complementary advantages of Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces and cities of the Southeast and Mekong Delta regions to create tangible value for citizens and businesses.

Local leaders sign the cooperation agreements for the 2026-2030 period. Photo: Vuong The

During the 2023-2025 period, the cooperation program shifted from networking and exchanges toward specific programs and projects. Notable examples include Ring Road 3, Ring Road 4, the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai Expressway, and infrastructure projects connecting Long Thanh Airport, seaports, and logistics hubs. In the Mekong Delta, local authorities are coordinating studies on the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway, coastal roads, and waterway transport, laying the foundation for bringing agricultural and aquatic products to processing, distribution, and export centers.

Despite significant results, regional cooperation still lacks large-scale projects capable of creating sustainable value chains. Some transport projects are facing difficulties in securing material supplies, while inter-regional transport infrastructure connecting the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast region remains poorly integrated.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Minh Thanh speaks at the conference. Photo: Vuong The

Presenting their reports at the conference, local leaders pointed out challenges and limitations in the coordination and cooperation process and proposed new approaches to investment cooperation. Many participants said investment cooperation had to begin with a comprehensive value proposition for investors, with synchronization across research and development, raw material zones, production capacity, energy, logistics infrastructure, consumer markets, and administrative reform.

Member of the Dong Nai City Party Committee and Director of the municipal Department of Construction Nguyen Anh Tuan delivers a presentation at the conference. Photo: Vuong The

In the coming period, local authorities will focus on creating breakthrough inter-regional value chains, ranging from high-tech industries linked to seaports, aviation, and logistics infrastructure to agricultural and aquatic product chains associated with deep processing, cold chains, branding, and exports, as well as clean energy, circular economy, and climate change adaptation chains.

Member of the Dong Nai City Party Committee’s Standing Board and Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Tuan Anh visits the Dong Nai display booth on the sidelines of the event. Photo: Vuong The

Regarding Dong Nai, Member of the Dong Nai City Party Committee and Director of the municipal Department of Construction Nguyen Anh Tuan proposed that the 2026-2030 period should mark a shift from "coordinating individual projects" to "jointly planning a unified connection system for the entire region." In this context, transport connectivity between Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai should not only address congestion but also contribute to forming an integrated economic and urban space. Dong Nai proposes completing the road network and bridges across the Dong Nai River, connecting Long Thanh Airport with Ho Chi Minh City, seaports, and logistics centers, while also developing railways and inter-regional metro lines and fully utilizing the entire network.

By Vuong The – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha