On the morning of October 9th, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ho Chi Minh City Branch (VCCI-HCM), held a ceremony to officially award VCCI membership certificates to 62 enterprises, including 44 limited liability companies and 18 joint-stock companies.
During the ceremony, VCCI Vice President Vo Tan Thanh congratulated the newly certified official members of VCCI. He highlighted that the enterprises joining VCCI as official members demonstrated the association’s growing strength in expanding its member network. He expressed hope that, by joining VCCI, businesses would deepen their engagement with the VCCI community through activities supporting production, business operations, international economic integration, and sustainable development.
Mr. Vo Tan Thanh shared that Vietnam ranks 35th among the top 40 largest economies in the world, with a GDP of $435 billion. Vietnam is also among the top 20 countries for foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction and import-export turnover globally. With a high economic openness ratio of nearly 200% of GDP, Vietnam is a dynamic economy within ASEAN. This reflects Vietnam’s significant involvement in global trade and its substantial contributions to the country’s socio-economic development.
He further noted that Vietnam has signed 16 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), including new-generation agreements like CPTTP, EVFTA, and RCEP. These agreements have enabled Vietnam to integrate deeply with 60 countries and territories, representing approximately 70% of global GDP. As a result, Vietnam is now among the top 40 largest economies globally.
“In these achievements, VCCI has played a significant role, particularly in improving the business environment. We are striving to position Vietnam’s business environment among the top four in ASEAN. Compared to 10–15 years ago, Vietnam’s business environment has become much more favorable, thanks in no small part to the business community’s contributions through VCCI,” said Vice President Vo Tan Thanh.
Following Vice President Vo Tan Thanh’s remarks, VCCI-HCM Director Tran Ngoc Liem expressed his delight and congratulated the 62 enterprises that officially joined the VCCI community. He shared insights about the establishment and development of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, now known as the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). He reaffirmed VCCI’s role and mission in promoting a more favorable business environment for enterprises.
Mr. Liem introduced the activities of VCCI-HCM, noting that it is the largest branch within the VCCI system, covering Ho Chi Minh City and five southern provinces: Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Lam Dong, and Tay Ninh. The SME Support Center organizes training programs and projects for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups to enhance management capabilities, competitiveness, and sustainable development.
Regarding the Membership, Training, and Communication Department, Mr. Liem explained its functions: maintaining, managing, and expanding the member network in Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces; supporting the formation and strengthening of business associations nationwide; and creating training programs to build enterprise capacity.
Other departments, such as the Office for Employers and Women Entrepreneurs, focus on three key areas: labor law and industrial relations, skills development and vocational training, and sustainable development. These efforts include policy advocacy, capacity-building training, knowledge-sharing seminars, and business advisory services.
During the ceremony, Mr. Bui Manh Hung, Deputy Head of the Membership, Training, and Communication Department, announced the decision to admit the fourth batch of new members for 2024. VCCI and VCCI-HCM leadership awarded the certificates and took commemorative photos with the new members.
Highlights of the event: Mr. Nguyen Doan Thong, Head of the Membership, Training, and Communication Department, announced a special gift for new members: a scholarship worth 50 million VND for the Executive Business Director Training Program (Batch 2, 2024).
Representatives of member enterprises expressed excitement about officially joining VCCI-HCM and looked forward to receiving support in trade promotion, investment, and capacity-building activities. They also introduced their companies, seeking opportunities for collaboration and business connections within the VCCI network. Many members shared products from their companies and expressed their desire to find potential partners and clients at the event.
