Ha Thanh emphasized that in recent years, people-to-people diplomacy has been a prominent feature of Ho Chi Minh City’s foreign affairs, playing a vital role in advancing international integration and cooperation. It has served as a cultural bridge, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening ties between the city and partners worldwide.
In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) will continue to vigorously and effectively implement people-to-people diplomacy through cultural diplomacy, economic diplomacy, and external communication activities related to overseas Vietnamese affairs. Efforts will focus on raising awareness among Party committees at all levels about the importance of people-to-people diplomacy, expanding participation and partnerships, and promoting the image of HCMC and Viet Nam globally. The city also aims to build networks that encourage overseas Vietnamese to contribute to national and local development, while consolidating friendly relations between the Vietnamese people and those of other countries.
Over the years, major events such as the Ao Dai Festival, the International Film Festival, and Nguyen Hue Flower Street have not only left lasting impressions but also reinforced HCMC’s “brand” as a creative, youthful, and culturally vibrant destination. The city has also effectively harnessed remittances, considered a “golden resource,” to maximize the potential of the overseas Vietnamese community. Each year, nearly 10 billion USD in remittances flow into the city, alongside the contributions of more than 600 overseas Vietnamese intellectuals engaged in research and innovation projects.
At the same time, with nearly 100 foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) registered to operate in recent years, HCMC is recognized as one of the localities that effectively mobilizes and utilizes foreign NGO aid. These channels of people-to-people diplomacy have helped the city expand cooperation, attract resources, and project the image of a dynamic, creative, and compassionate metropolis.
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| The Union of Friendship Organizations of HCMC and the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship Association of HCMC, in coordination with the Lao Consulate General in HCMC, organized a gathering to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Day of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (December 2, 1975 - December 2, 2025). (Photo: HUFO) |
HCMC has issued a Strategy to Enhance Foreign Affairs by 2030, with a vision to 2045. The strategy has been implemented smoothly and effectively across Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy. At the same time, the city promotes multilateral diplomacy in close coordination with bilateral diplomacy, fulfilling international responsibilities and deepening relations with foreign partners and localities. These efforts aim to safeguard national and ethnic interests, attract international resources, and strengthen the city’s position both regionally and globally.
The Chairman of the city's Union of Friendship Organizations affirmed that the city continues to uphold the Party’s viewpoint on foreign affairs in the new context. To enhance the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy and contribute to building a comprehensive diplomatic system, the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee will focus on several key solutions in 2026.
First, the city will strengthen the leadership and guidance of the Party Committee, the management of the People’s Committee, and the coordination of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, the Union of Friendship Organizations, and relevant units in synchronizing solutions for people-to-people diplomacy. This includes raising awareness and leadership capacity at all levels, innovating the content and methods of operation, and continuously improving the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in a proactive, flexible, creative, and efficient manner. People-to-people diplomacy will be identified as a task of the entire political system - one that involves every official, Party member, and citizen - and will be closely linked to the implementation of the Resolution of the First Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, term 2025–2030, on promoting deep and effective international integration.
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| Ha Thanh, President of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Ho Chi Minh City, presented the "For Peace and Friendship Among Nations" commemorative medal to Timur Sirozevich Sadykov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Ho Chi Minh City, during a meeting commemorating the 108th anniversary of the Russian October Revolution (November 7, 1917 - November 7, 2025). (Photo: HUFO) |
Secondly, the city will focus on leading and successfully implementing the Strategy to elevate HCMC’s foreign affairs work through 2030, with a vision to 2045. This includes strengthening and consolidating friendly relations and enhancing cooperation with the people of other countries - particularly neighboring nations, traditional friends, major powers, and key partners - through people-to-people exchanges. The approach emphasizes the seamless integration of people-to-people diplomacy, economic diplomacy, and cultural diplomacy. In certain areas, with specific partners and at particular times, cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges will play a leading role in promoting the image of Viet Nam and HCM, thereby paving the way for cooperation in economics, trade, and investment across the city’s sectors. A priority will be the digitalization of cultural diplomacy, especially through the application of technology to build a digital Ho Chi Minh cultural space on a multilingual platform, increasing global accessibility and international reach.
Thirdly, attention will be given to effectively mobilizing overseas Vietnamese, particularly the younger generation, to foster patriotism and harness the immense resources of compatriots abroad in support of national construction, defense, and the development of HCMC. This will involve the effective implementation of coordination mechanisms among relevant units, creating conditions for synchronized activities - from cultural exchange programs and overseas Vietnamese conferences to community development projects. These efforts will strengthen connections and ensure the effective utilization of international resources.
Source: Vietnamtimes
