Ho Chi Minh City is deepening cooperation with Guangzhou, China, focusing on urban railway investment and transit-oriented development (TOD) as part of efforts to address growing infrastructure challenges.
On June 1, city leaders met with a delegation from Guangzhou led by Vice Mayor Lai Zhihong. The meeting took place as Ho Chi Minh City accelerates major infrastructure projects and seeks to attract international investment.
Bui Xuan Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, presents a commemorative gift to Lai Zhihong, Vice Mayor of Guangzhou City (Photo: Bao Ninh).
During the talks, Lai expressed appreciation for the city's support in advancing bilateral projects. A key milestone was the establishment of a representative office by Guangzhou Metro in Ho Chi Minh City, a move he described as a strong commitment to long-term and substantive investment in Vietnam's transportation sector.
Guangzhou is regarded as one of China's leading economic and logistics hubs. According to city officials, Guangzhou has maintained economic growth of approximately 6 per cent during the first months of 2026, driven by high technology industries, innovation and modern transport infrastructure.
The city operates one of the world's busiest port and container transport systems, alongside one of the largest airports globally. Its urban rail network spans nearly 1,500km and serves around 9.3 million passengers daily, with capacity rising to 14 million passengers during peak periods.
Guangzhou has also accumulated extensive experience in implementing TOD models. Rather than relying solely on public funding, the approach captures rising land values around metro stations to generate investment capital for transport infrastructure. This is a challenge Ho Chi Minh City is currently seeking to address.
"The Guangzhou Metro representative office in Ho Chi Minh City will serve as a direct bridge connecting businesses, contractors and government agencies from both cities. We hope cooperation will expand beyond railway infrastructure to include tourism, trade and human resource development," Lai said.
Responding to the proposals, Ho Chi Minh City Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong said the city highly values its comprehensive partnership with Guangzhou. He noted that officials and experts from the city's urban railway management authority have visited Guangzhou on multiple occasions to study its TOD model and gain practical experience.
Delegates pose for a commemorative photograph after the meeting (Photo: Bao Ninh).
With an area exceeding 6,700 square kilometres and a population of more than 14 million, Ho Chi Minh City faces significant pressure on its transport network. Under its development plan, the city aims to become a modern and highly developed urban centre by 2030, serving as Vietnam's economic and logistics hub.
Looking ahead to 2045, the city aims to establish itself as a leading Asian centre for finance, science and innovation.
To achieve these goals, Ho Chi Minh City is pursuing institutional reforms to unlock investment resources. Hundreds of trillions of Vietnamese dong are expected to be mobilised for ring roads and the city's core metro network. City leaders pledged to create a favourable legal framework for strategic investors, including partners from Guangzhou, to participate in major infrastructure projects.
