HCM CITY — HCM City and eight northern and north-central localities have entered a new phase of cooperation, strengthening ties in logistics, investment, trade, science and technology, and tourism through 2030.

At a conference hosted by the HCM City and Nghệ An Province in Nghệ An on Wednesday, officials reviewed the 2023–25 socio-economic cooperation framework and signed a cooperation deal for 2026–30.

Phạm Quang Nhật, director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City, said cooperation in 2026–30 should move beyond broad agreements and focus on projects that deliver results.

“Regional connectivity should go beyond coordination and become a strategic driver of growth. HCM City has strengths in markets, finance, technology, and services, while the localities have advantages in production, infrastructure, logistics, tourism, and human resources. Bringing these strengths together through value chains and joint projects can turn them into a shared competitive advantage.”

He proposed four changes for the period: annual action plans with designated coordinators, a shared digital database of projects, four priority value chains covering industry, logistics and e-commerce, science, technology, and digital data, healthcare and education, and heritage tourism and MICE, and measuring success based on projects that are under way, business partnerships formed, and public and private investment secured.

Logistics emerged as one of the most promising areas for cooperation.

Nguyễn Quốc Cường, deputy director of the Huế Department of Finance, called for closer cooperation with HCM City to develop the Chân Mây–Lăng Cô Economic Zone, green logistics, and high-tech projects.

He also proposed connecting the domestic maritime transport route between Chân Mây deep-water port and Cát Lái and HCM City’s Cái Mép–Thị Vải ports.

Đặng Trần Phong, deputy director of the Hà Tĩnh Department of Finance, said cooperation had helped the province achieve economic growth of 8.78 per cent in 2025, the highest in the north-central region.

He called for investment in industrial infrastructure, steel, logistics, and the Vũng Áng and Cầu Treo border economic zones.

He also sought HCM City’s help in developing a one-stop customs clearance system linked to the Vientiane–Vũng Áng railway and berth No 3, creating a logistics gateway to the East Sea.

A Quảng Trị representative outlined plans to make greater use of land border gates and deep-water ports along the East–West Economic Corridor linking Việt Nam, Laos, and Thailand.

The province also invited HCM City companies to invest in renewable energy, processing, industrial infrastructure, and the maritime economy.

Thanh Hóa proposed stronger logistics links centred on Nghi Sơn Port along with joint investment promotion and high-quality workforce development.

Speakers held that HCM City’s distribution network could help northern and north-central speciality products reach consumers in the south.

Hà Tĩnh, for example, wants to bring Hương Sơn deer antler products, Hương Khê agarwood, and Phúc Trạch pomelos to HCM City’s retail chains.

Quảng Trị is seeking similar access for agricultural and OCOP products.

Tourism linkages

Localities also agreed to strengthen tourism ties by jointly developing products and value chains.

Trần Thị Mỹ Hạnh, director of the Nghệ An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said her province could combine its cultural attractions with HCM City’s strong tourism market.

She proposed a tour themed, “Journey from the city named after President Hồ Chí Minh to his hometown”, and a Nghệ An Cultural Space in HCM City showcasing Ví and Giặm folk singing.

She also called for faster digitalisation of tourism, including of heritage data, and using AI to manage destinations.

Ninh Bình proposed working with tour operators to develop multi-day heritage and MICE itineraries, while using online travel agencies and big-data analysis to encourage visitors to stay longer.

Thái Nguyên introduced its 2026 International Tea Festival, invited southern travel agencies on fam trips, and sought strategic investors for the Núi Cốc Lake tourism area near the eastern slopes of Tam Đảo and Lake Ba Bể.

Cao Bằng proposed a heritage route linking Kim Liên in Nghệ An, Bến Nhà Rồng in HCM City, and its own Pác Bó, targeting southern tourists with eco-tourism, border, and historical tours.

It is also seeking HCM City investors for high-end eco-tourism and resort projects.

The new agreement also covers science and technology, healthcare, education, and workforce development.

Closing the conference, Bùi Minh Thạnh, vice chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, promised that the city would incorporate the proposals into its annual action plans.

He said the 2023–25 period had focused on building trust and the next phase should be about “doing more together and generating greater value” with businesses playing the leading role and benefiting from regional cooperation.

He said geographical distance could create opportunities for logistics, tourism, and technology transfer, and reaffirmed HCM City’s commitment to a flexible approach.

The new framework’s message, he said, is to “connect deeper, act faster, and together create greater value” for the participating provinces and cities and the country as a whole. — VNS