Following its merger with Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City has many of the conditions needed to become a growth hub with regional influence. However, to realise this potential, it needs to strengthen its foundations, particularly its institutions and integrated governance, connectivity infrastructure and workforce.

Financial cooperation is becoming a key focus of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and the United Kingdom. Strengthening this cooperation is expected to give fresh impetus to the development of the Viet Nam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City and help attract foreign capital more effectively.

The Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will present Virtuoso Concertos at the City Opera House on the evening of October 10.

Within the new development landscape, businesses in Ho Chi Minh City are well placed to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in production. However, technology can only create a genuine competitive edge when businesses improve the quality of their workforce while gradually building processes to master and harness the technology.

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a conference on people-to-people diplomacy on October 6, discussing solutions to further enhance the effectiveness of the work in the city.

The 40th Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI 40), released by the UK-based Z/Yen Partners and the China Development Institute (CDI), has recorded a notable advance for Ho Chi Minh City. With 692 points, the city ranked 67th globally, up 17 places and 27 points from the GFCI 39 assessment released in March 2026.

After three months of free fares on 134 bus routes, buses in Ho Chi Minh City have carried over 25.5 million passengers, with many locals starting to shift their travel habits.

Ho Chi Minh City has been honoured in three leading Asian tourism categories at the 2026 World Travel Awards (WTA) for Asia, Oceania, and the Indian Ocean, held in the Maldives on September 27.

Decentralisation must make the apparatus faster in handling work, closer to the people and more effective, but must not lead to fragmented responsibility or create wide disparities in quality among localities, Politburo member and President of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man stressed on September 25.

National Assembly (NA) President Tran Thanh Man and a delegation of Ho Chi Minh City NA deputies met with voters from 12 local wards on September 25 ahead of the 16th legislature’s second session.

Ho Chi Minh City is entering a new phase of development with an expanded urban, economic and social space. Increasingly close connectivity among urban areas, industry, logistics, seaports, services and innovation centres provides an important foundation for the city to reorganise its production space and create new growth momentum.

A total of 664 sets of war martyrs’ remains have been recovered at Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City after three months of search and excavation, according to the municipal Military High Command.

Ho Chi Minh City stands ready to serve as a bridge and accompany localities and the business community in shaping a development space, attracting investment and generating new growth momentum. This will help promote the strengths of each locality in the southeastern region and the Mekong Delta, turning them into a new growth driver.

Ho Chi Minh City needs tens of thousands of highly skilled technical workers to meet the demands of urban railway investment and development projects that are already under way or taking shape, with the current workforce meeting only a very small part of the demand.

Amid the modern pace of life in Ho Chi Minh City, traditional markets remain as vivid “memories” of the city. They are not simply places for buying and selling; they also preserve architecture, culture, ways of life, and stories passed down through generations.

After more than three months of implementation, the health check-up programme for residents of Ho Chi Minh City has surpassed the four-million mark. The result reflects the coordinated efforts of local authorities and healthcare facilities, as well as strong public participation.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has issued a document to pilot an integrated English education programme for preschool children across the city from the 2026–2027 academic year.

Ho Chi Minh City will continue to implement drastic measures to achieve double-digit growth, targeting GRDP growth of at least 11.07% in the third quarter of 2026, 9.43% in the first nine months and 12.3% in the fourth quarter, with a view to completing the full-year goal of 10% or more, the municipal People’s Committee said on September 4.

The five-day National Day holiday from August 29 to September 2 saw many localities record strong growth in tourist arrivals, high room occupancy rates and positive tourism-service revenue. Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Tuyen Quang and Lam Dong emerged as popular destinations, attracting large numbers of visitors with diverse tourism products and a wide range of cultural, recreational and entertainment activities.

Metro Line 1, connecting Ben Thanh and Suoi Tien, in Ho Chi Minh City will increase train frequency, extend operating hours and offer free rides to all passengers on September 2 to mark Viet Nam’s 81st National Day anniversary.