HCM CITY — Nearly 100 Vietnamese entrepreneurs, including US-based Vietnamese entrepreneurs, gathered at an online business networking programme in HCM City on December 9 to foster cooperation and explore opportunities for growth in the global market.

Co-organised by Doanh Nhân Sài Gòn (Saigon Entrepreneur) Magazine and the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese (BAOOV), the online business networking programme between Vietnamese and US-based Vietnamese businesses provided updates on the US market, highlighted new potential business opportunities there, and shared key insights and considerations when exporting Vietnamese goods to the market.

At the event, Vũ Thị Huỳnh Mai, chairwoman of the HCM City Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, emphasised the important role of the overseas Vietnamese business communities in Việt Nam's nation-building efforts as well as expanding the distribution of Vietnamese goods globally,

The overseas Vietnamese community is an inseparable part of the nation's development, playing a crucial role in connecting businesses, attracting direct investment, and transferring technology, she said.

There are about 2.8 million overseas Vietnamese people with connections to HCM City, at the same time the city has also attracted about 500 overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals from many countries around the world to work long-term in the city, she noted.

Mai described the event as significant milestones in strengthening connections between domestic and overseas entrepreneurs to unlock untapped potential, expand networks, and foster trade relationships.

Trần Hoàng, Editor-in-Chief of Doanh Nhân Sài Gòn magazine, said the programme aims to enhance promotion of Vietnamese products and services within the overseas Vietnamese community, and develop distribution channels for Vietnamese products in foreign markets.

Through discussions at the event, the organisers hope to elevate the export value of Vietnamese goods by leveraging international distribution systems, and create a bridge between domestic producers and exporters with global markets, enabling more effective participation in the supply chain of Vietnamese goods abroad, he added.

Peter Hồng, chairman of BAOOV, noted that the event, the first of its kind, attracted experts, scholars, and business representatives from eight countries besides Việt Nam, reflecting a strong interest in the US market.

Dr. Nguyễn Mạnh Quyền, head of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Houston, Texas, highlighted that the US is Việt Nam's largest export market and also emphasised the need for associations and businesses both domestically and abroad to share information and implement specific action plans to better explore the market.

He suggested Vietnamese businesses pay attention to ensure balanced trade with US partners as well as those from other large countries, meaning that while businesses still increase exports to these countries, they should also look to import products or technologies that they have strengths.

Dr. Huỳnh Thế Du, lecturer at Indiana University, advised Vietnamese enterprises to keep a close watch on US policies, saying despite growing US trade protections, Việt Nam remains a vital trade partner, presenting both challenges and opportunities, particularly regarding tariffs and market access.

A highlight of the programme was the business matchmaking session, where seasoned Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the US shared invaluable insights on strategies for market entry and sustainable growth in this competitive environment.

The event also included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Doanh Nhân Sài Gòn Magazine and the Association of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Overseas to contribute to implement the Government’s project on mobilising overseas Vietnamese to introduce and consume Vietnamese products, and develop distribution channels for Vietnamese goods abroad. — VNS