HCM City (VNA) – Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong has expressed optimism about thriving Ho Chi Minh City – UK cooperation, especially in trade, investment, infrastructure and sustainable growth.
Addressing a conference bolstering Vietnam – UK economic ties hosted by Standard Chartered and UK Export Finance (UKEF) in Ho Chi Minh City on September 24, Cuong reported that two-way trade between HCM City and the UK topped 390 million USD in the first half of 2025. The UK is now the city’s 11th largest foreign investor with a total capital exceeding 1.1 billion USD.
Cuong highlighted active support from the UK Government, research institutions, and businesses for HCM City’s international financial centre project. He expressed hope for increased backing from UKEF and other UK financial institutions to provide credit and insurance for major projects in transport infrastructure, healthcare, renewable energy, and high technology.
HCM City encourages UK companies to make full use of the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and help Vietnamese firms develop products that meet the UK’s quality, social responsibility and environmental standards, he said.
Cuong also called on the British Business Group Vietnam to continue bridging the two nations’ business communities, noting the city’s readiness to co-host trade promotion events and foster supply chain linkages in areas of mutual strength such as pharmaceuticals, finance, digital technology, and education.
Matt Western, a member of Parliament and the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, praised Vietnam’s 7.5% GDP growth in the first half of 2025, driven by strong exports, rising foreign direct investment, and a cohesive infrastructure strategy,
He stressed that green transition is a shared priority, aligning with both governments’ sustainable development goals and serving as a solid, forward-looking economic bridge between the two economies.
The UK is proud to support Vietnam’s green growth strategy and its net-zero target, he said, adding that the UK’s financing programme for Vietnam through UKEF is poised to fund major projects, especially those adhering to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. He also expressed interest in working with Vietnamese partners that share a vision for clean energy, sustainable infrastructure and digital transformation to build a more sustainable society and world.
Representatives from UKEF and Standard Chartered presented their strengths and potential in providing credit for sustainable development projects. They engaged with UK and Vietnamese financial experts and firms to explore ways to enhance cooperation in finance and banking and connect global capital to sustainable projects./.
