The Leading Tech City

In the draft Political Report for the 1st Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, term 2025-2030, Ho Chi Minh City acknowledges significant strides in digital transformation during this period.

Rapid and Sustainable Development

The Political Report highlights that Ho Chi Minh City’s modern digital infrastructure has gradually taken shape, with the development of a smart city and digital government gaining momentum. Scientific and technological activities, along with innovation, have deepened, supporting key industries and fostering the sharing economy, digital economy, and circular economy.

For the upcoming term, Ho Chi Minh City aims for rapid and sustainable development by innovating its growth model and restructuring the economy. This will prioritize science, technology, and innovation as primary drivers, while comprehensively advancing digital and green transitions. The city also seeks to develop a knowledge-based economy capable of participating in global value chains.

Additionally, Ho Chi Minh City plans to invest in an integrated and intelligent transportation network, enhancing regional and inter-regional connectivity. This includes developing urban rail systems, specialized inter-regional railways, and highways linking urban centers, industrial zones, seaports, airports, and financial hubs.

The city will also foster smart urban clusters connecting the central area with regions like Di An, Thuan An, Thu Dau Mot, Ben Cat, and Phu My, as well as urban and service axes such as Phu My – Long Thanh International Airport. New urban areas will emerge around transportation hubs, ring roads, and highways.

Ambitious Targets

Among the 30 key targets for 2025-2030 outlined in the Political Report, several focus on digital transformation, scientific and technological development, and the creation of a smart city with intelligent management and governance. These include the digital economy accounting for 30%-40% of GRDP, total social expenditure on R&D reaching 2%-3% of GRDP, allocating at least 4%-5% of the annual budget to science, technology, and digital transformation, and ensuring 100% of Party organizations effectively implement digital transformation.

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Hoang Ngan, a Meritorious Teacher, views these targets as groundbreaking, reflecting the political commitment of the Party Committee, government, and people of Ho Chi Minh City to science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

He notes that Ho Chi Minh City leads the nation in its startup and innovation ecosystem, with approximately 50% of Vietnam’s startup enterprises based in the city. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City ranks 110th among 1,400 global startup and innovation hubs.

At the recent 9th session, the National Assembly approved several critical laws supporting research and development. Tran Hoang Ngan believes Ho Chi Minh City should invest in additional research and development centers to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Tran Du Lich, Chairman of the Advisory Council for Implementing National Assembly Resolution 98/2023, emphasizes the need for Ho Chi Minh City to simultaneously pursue green and digital transitions. Clean energy infrastructure, data centers, and digital spaces must be foundational to the city’s future development.

Nguyen Nghia Hiep, Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Park Management Board, sees digital transformation as inevitable. He expects the city to attract advanced technology enterprises and projects, particularly in high-intellectual-content sectors like semiconductors, chips, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the digital economy.

Transparent and Efficient Urban Governance

Ho Chi Minh City aspires to a model of “digital government – digital society – digital citizens,” where all administrative, monitoring, and feedback activities occur in real time.

Since November 2024, the city has launched and operated the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Citizen app, designed to connect citizens and the government. Built on an integrated data platform from various departments, the app ensures comprehensive user data security. It serves not only as a utility but also as a symbol of modernization, propelling Ho Chi Minh City toward becoming a smart, modern, compassionate, and sustainably developed metropolis.

Vo Thi Trung Trinh, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center, explains that through the Digital Citizen app, residents can report incidents, provide feedback on issues of concern, and closely monitor the progress of government responses. The app also enables quick and convenient access to public services across various life aspects.

For the government, the Digital Citizen app is an efficient channel for recording, managing, and addressing real-life issues based on transparent data. It allows authorities to promptly provide citizens with information about city activities, communicate new policies and laws, and issue urgent alerts.

Direct interaction between citizens and the government via digital platforms will enhance urban governance transparency and efficiency.

Measuring Quality of Life

To promote basic digital literacy and skills among residents, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, in collaboration with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, has launched the “Digital Mass Education” campaign. This initiative aims to ensure inclusivity in the digital transformation process, leaving no one behind.

Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy states that the city aims to equip all citizens, especially vulnerable groups, with essential digital knowledge and skills. This will enable them to actively engage with and effectively use digital platforms. Residents will learn to use applications like the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Citizen app, VssID, eTax, digital wallets, cashless payments, and digital signatures, as well as integrate artificial intelligence into daily life, work, and education.

The success of the “Digital Mass Education” campaign will be measured not only by statistics but also by improvements in residents’ quality of life. This includes seniors confidently using smartphones to connect with family and access online public services, vendors listing products on e-commerce platforms, and students easily accessing global knowledge for learning.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Pham Minh Tuan believes the “Digital Mass Education” campaign is a fundamental step in empowering citizens to master technology, turning digital knowledge into an internal force to enhance their quality of life.