Green finance is emerging as a cornerstone in HCMC’s ambition to become an international financial center, while also enabling the city’s shift toward a sustainable economy and its goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Leading the way with sustainable growth strategy Half a century after national reunification, HCMC has remained the driving force behind Vietnam’s economic growth. From 1990 to 1995, the city achieved an average annual economic growth rate of over 12%. The city has also served as a testing ground for innovative economic models and breakthrough policies. Notably, the Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in District 7 was the first of its kind in Vietnam, established to attract foreign investment. HCMC was the first locality to propose creating an urban development investment fund and to pilot municipal bond issuance. It further marked a milestone with the launch of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange (HOSE), laying the foundation for the country’s stock market. Sound policies and a spirit of innovation have helped raise HCMC’s GRDP per capita from US$700 in 1996 to US$7,600 in 2024. In recent years, HCMC’s economic growth has slowed. Between 2011 and 2015, the city’s average growth rate was 1.22 times higher than the national […]
Catalyst for HCMC’s sustainable future
By Van Phong
