Ho Chi Minh City: Shaping the Vision of an International Mega-City

CEO 500 – TEA CONNECT is part of the 2025 Autumn Economic Forum, themed “Ho Chi Minh City: Toward an International Mega-City in the Digital Era.” This is a high-level dialogue event between leaders of the Government of Vietnam, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, and the domestic and international business community.

The event is expected to gather 500 delegates, with the participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Ministry leaders, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, international organizations, and leading corporations.

CEO 500 – TEA CONNECT is organized to create a strategic dialogue space, aimed at promoting cooperation, attracting strategic investment sources, and forming long-term coordination mechanisms between domestic and international businesses. At the same time, the event is an opportunity to propose breakthrough initiatives and policies suitable to Vietnam’s new development context, particularly for Ho Chi Minh City in the era of building a digital mega-city after administrative consolidation.

The program will open with the Tea Connect artistic performance titled “The Fragrance of Tea, the Bonds of Friendship.” This cultural tea space is not only a symbol of Vietnam’s land, sky, and soul, but also a symbol of the Vietnamese entrepreneurs’ culture. The artistic scenes in this segment are elaborately staged, creating a distinctive cultural highlight. It is not only a welcoming performance but also a message of connection, friendship, and sharing, forming the foundation for the full-day dialogue ahead.

Following this is a strategic dialogue session themed “Ho Chi Minh City: Toward an International Mega-City in the Digital Era,” chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang, and Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc.

In this session, participants will attend presentations on “Ho Chi Minh City’s Development Strategy and Spatial Planning for 2026-2030, with Vision towards 2045” and “Ho Chi Minh City’s Key Projects and Strategic Priorities.” These contents will serve as the foundation for the dialogue between leaders of the Government of Vietnam and leaders of Ho Chi Minh City with the community of domestic and international partners and businesses, featuring more than 20 presentations from international organizations and global corporations such as the World Bank, Qualcomm, Siemens, Amazon, Sembcorp, Nokia, Xero, as well as many Vietnamese enterprises such as Nam A Commercial Joint Stock Bank and Techcombank.

Announcing a Series of Strategic Partnerships

A key highlight of the program is the announcement of a series of strategic cooperation agreements. These agreements involve collaborations between Vietnamese departments and sectors with domestic and international enterprises, spanning various pillars such as high-tech industries, logistics, finance, and science and technology.

These partnerships reflect the goal of building an innovation ecosystem, attracting high-quality investment, and positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a leading hub for knowledge-based economic development in the region.

With its in-depth content structure, large-scale participation, and diverse cooperation portfolio, CEO 500 – TEA CONNECT 2025 is not only a dialogue but also an action-oriented platform. This affirms that the program is more than a policy discussion – it is a practical coordination mechanism that helps attract international investment initiatives, creates direct dialogue channels between enterprises and the Government, and shapes new development pillars for Ho Chi Minh City in the context of administrative consolidation and accelerated digitalization and international integration.

With thorough preparation and a long-term vision, the program is expected to serve as the starting point for practical cooperation activities that will continue to be promoted by Ho Chi Minh City and its partners after the event, becoming an important driving force for the city’s development journey during the 2025-2045 period.