Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City and the US's Oregon state hold strong potential to develop logistics supply chains, helping boost bilateral trade, experts said at the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City–Oregon Economic Cooperation Forum on April 2.
The event was co-organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) and an Oregon business delegation.
According to Cao Thi Phi Van, Vice Director of ITPC, the forum took place amid steadily deepening Vietnam–US relations. The US remains Vietnam’s largest export market and a key economic partner, with 1,539 valid investment projects worth more than 12.5 billion USD nationwide. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, US investors operate 915 projects with total registered capital of 7.6 billion USD, ranking seventh among 136 foreign investors in the city.
She noted that Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s economic hub and a major ASEAN trade gateway, could complement Oregon’s strengths in technology, logistics infrastructure and international trade. Both sides were encouraged to strengthen business connectivity, expand cooperation in logistics, seaports and supply chains, and promote sustainable investment.
Gregory Harris, head of Commercial Section at the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, described Vietnam as a dynamic and high-growth economy, with Ho Chi Minh City among the fastest-growing in ASEAN. As bilateral trade expands, he said he expects more opportunities for Oregon enterprises to bring internationally standardised products and services to Vietnamese consumers.
He welcomed the approval of Vietnam’s revised National Power Development Plan VIII and expressed hope that energy projects involving US enterprises would soon be implemented in practice, thereby laying a solid foundation for further expanding trade and investment in the coming period.
Experts also highlighted strong logistics synergies between Port of Portland and the Cai Mep–Thi Vai Port complex, which handles about 70% of Vietnam’s container throughput. The combination can help diversify transport routes, reduce reliance on traditional transshipment hubs and improve supply chain efficiency.
Luong Quang Thi, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics and Port Association, highlighted the city’s advantage with logistics costs 25–30% lower than those of Singapore. To strengthen cooperation in freight supply chains, he suggested that Ho Chi Minh City and Oregon swiftly establish a direct shipping route linking Portland with Cai Mep–Thi Vai Port Complex, while developing an “Oregon–Ho Chi Minh City cold corridor” - a farm-to-shelf model, for high-value agricultural products.
The two sides should also enhance cooperation in AI technologies and green logistics in line with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 30% by 2030, he suggested.
The Saigon Newport Corporation proposed that Ho Chi Minh City and Oregon increase transport frequency and strengthen cooperation in sharing experience in operating smart ports, with a view to building a stable, efficient and sustainable trans-Pacific supply chain./.
