In this article, Chairman and Co-Founder of the AVPI’s Knowledge Partner InnoLab Asia, Mr. Huynh Cong Thang, examines how Vietnam’s new Urban Development Law could shape Ho Chi Minh City’s next phase of growth and create opportunities for Australian businesses to invest and contribute their expertise.
Effective from 1 October 2026, the new law gives Ho Chi Minh City greater flexibility to mobilise capital, develop infrastructure and test new urban development models. For Australian businesses, these reforms provide an opportunity to consider where their capabilities could contribute and what is required to enter the market successfully.
The article identifies four key “doors” for potential engagement:
- Transit-oriented development and land-value capture: Opportunities to contribute expertise in urban planning, infrastructure financing and land-value capture around new transport networks.
- Faster pathways in free trade zones: Potential pathways for investment and collaboration in logistics, advanced manufacturing and industrial development.
- The International Financial Centre: Opportunities for Australian financial institutions, investors and professional services firms to support the city’s development as a regional financial hub.
- Urban technology sandboxes: Scope to test artificial intelligence, data-driven solutions and smart city technologies in a controlled urban environment.
The article also highlights that success will depend on understanding local priorities, building trusted partnerships and taking a long-term approach to engagement in Vietnam.
Mr. Huynh Cong Thang is an alumnus of the AVPI Fellows Program