Duoc made the statement while receiving in Ho Chi Minh City on October 20 an US business delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia and Acting Executive Director of SelectUSA Kelly Coldiron, who is visiting the city to explore investment opportunities.

He welcomed the delegation’s choice of Ho Chi Minh City for investment cooperation, noting that its members’ expertise in clean energy, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and the digital economy aligned with the city’s development priorities.

According to the official, following its merger, Ho Chi Minh City has expanded its development space, focusing on the knowledge-based and green economies, high-tech industries, services, international finance, marine economy, tourism, clean energy and logistics, with Ba Ria–Vung Tau area being a key driver of the marine economy, particularly in coastal tourism, seaports, offshore wind power, and oil and gas.

He expressed his hope that US businesses’ trip will open up new opportunities for cooperation, and that Ho Chi Minh City would succeed in attracting strong US investors in technology and clean energy.

For her part, Coldiron highlighted the potential for economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, stressing that the US is one of the important partners in Vietnam’s economic development and digital transformation.

She said the US companies joining the delegation specialise in high technology, energy, AI and innovation, and could help develop digital economy, IT, telecommunications, AI and semiconductor industries in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City by providing data centres, digital infrastructure and advanced technologies and solutions.

Coldiron expressed her hope that Ho Chi Minh City will draw  more US-led projects and cooperation programmes, generating mutual benefits, supporting local socio-economic development, deepening the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and expanding bilateral trade and investment cooperation./.