Addressing participants, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc extended New Year greetings to overseas Vietnamese and thanked them for their continued contributions to the city’s development.

Duoc said 2025 marked a historic milestone for both the country and the city, noting the administrative merger of Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau provinces, which has created a new development space bringing together major economic, industrial and seaport hubs and positioning the city more firmly in the region and globally.

During the 2015-2025 period, the city recorded average GRDP growth of 8.03%, GRDP per capita of nearly US$8,800, and total state budget revenue exceeding VND800 trillion, he said, adding that national defence and security remained stable while external relations and international integration were expanded.

Vietnam currently has about six million overseas Vietnamese living in more than 130 countries and territories, with around 2.8 million people having direct or indirect ties to Ho Chi Minh City, he revealed.

He described the overseas Vietnamese community as a valuable source of knowledge, management experience, technology, finance and international networks, highlighting their growing contributions through investment, business activities, technology transfer, policy consultation and participation in sectors such as urban planning, transport, environmental protection, health care, science and technology, green growth and digital transformation.

Remittances to Ho Chi Minh City reached more than US$10.34 billion in 2025, up 8.3% from a year earlier, he said, calling it “a flow of trust” that reflects confidence in the city’s investment environment and governance capacity.

According to the official, the city is implementing a policy scheme to make more effective use of remittance resources through 2030, while continuing administrative reforms and improving the business environment in a transparent and stable manner.

The city hopes overseas Vietnamese will further cooperate in three key areas: policy advice and consultation; investment, start-ups and technology transfer in priority sectors; and connecting Ho Chi Minh City with global financial, scientific and technological centres and market networks.

At the event, overseas Vietnamese representatives shared views on the city’s development.

Lam Chi Thien, an overseas Vietnamese from Australia and Chairman and CEO of IMC Group, said he was proud of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City’s strong transformation in 2025, noting that Vietnam has joined the world’s top 15 trading economies with exports exceeding US$930 billion, with the city making a major contribution.

He said projects such as metro lines, the Tan Son Nhat T3 terminal and the Can Gio transshipment port reflect the city’s growing capacity in infrastructure development and governance.

To ensure sustainable and breakthrough growth, Thien called for stronger development of cultural industries, greater application of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to raise labour productivity, and policies promoting green consumption, renewable energy and circular economy practices.

At the gathering, Ho Chi Minh City authorities presented certificates of merit to four collectives and six individuals from the overseas Vietnamese community for their outstanding contributions to work related to overseas Vietnamese affairs and the city’s development.

Overseas Vietnamese in Australia celebrate Tet with Hue royal court music

VOV.VN - The Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney, Australia, on February 1 hosted a gathering to welcome the coming Lunar New Year of the Horse, with the festive atmosphere made even more special by performances of UNESCO-recognsed Hue Royal Court Music.