HCMC’s administrative expansion unlocks a new industrial era: From 17 to 66 zones and a wave of high-tech investment
- gamlthvietdata
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
After Expanding Administrative Boundaries, HCMC’s Industrial Zones Rise from 17 to 66. Following the administrative boundary expansion, the number of industrial zones in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has increased from 17 to 66.
With abundant land resources and gradually improving regional connectivity infrastructure, this is considered a golden opportunity for the city to attract a new wave of investment.
The merger not only enables HCMC to expand its development space but also creates an opportunity to restructure existing industrial zones—redesigning the city’s industrial map in a more strategic and systematic manner, with a focus on attracting investment in high value-added industries.
According to the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones of Ho Chi Minh City (HEPZA), after the merger, the city’s industrial and export processing zone network expanded from 17 to 66 zones, forming a more systematic and regionally connected industrial development landscape.
Learn more in the HCMC Industrial Zone Report.
Mr. Le Van Thinh, Deputy Head of HEPZA, stated that the administrative expansion provides HCMC with the chance to restructure its entire industrial development space toward modernization, efficiency, and sustainability. Specifically, the existing industrial zones (in the former HCMC) located near the city center are expected to focus on attracting investment in high-tech industries, innovation, and high-value services. Meanwhile, labor-intensive industries will be relocated to peripheral areas with newly allocated land funds to form environmentally friendly, high-tech industrial clusters with seamless connectivity to regional infrastructure.
“HCMC will leverage its role as a high-quality service hub, combining the industrial land advantages of the former Binh Duong and the seaport system of the former Ba Ria - Vung Tau to establish an integrated service-industry-logistics chain,” said Mr. Thinh.
In fact, for many years, HCMC (prior to the merger) faced difficulties in attracting new investment due to the shortage of industrial land. In 2024, the city had only about 74 hectares of available clean land suitable for investors, scattered across multiple zones. This fragmentation made it difficult for investors to find large contiguous plots for new manufacturing facilities.
For example, Smart Tech Group (USA) once sought a land plot of 10-50 hectares to build a battery manufacturing plant but could not find a suitable location within the former HCMC. After the merger, however, the new HCMC can fully meet such land requirements.
Currently, several large-scale industrial park projects are under development in the new HCMC area, such as Cay Truong Industrial Park (700 hectares) and Bau Bang Industrial Park - Phase II (380 hectares). Once completed, these zones will significantly increase industrial land supply, strengthening the city’s investment appeal.
With these new factors, for the 2025-2030 period, HEPZA aims to attract USD 20-21 billion in investment, with an average investment density of USD 8-10 million per hectare. The city will prioritize four core high-tech industries: semiconductors and electronics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new materials, and environmental industries.
Experts believe that the “new HCMC” has the potential to become a regional center for high-tech industry. Mr. Do Thien Anh Tuan, lecturer at Fulbright University Vietnam, noted that after the merger and restructuring of industrial zones toward modernity and sustainability, the city should take advantage of this momentum to restructure its industrial base along integrated value chains, focusing on three key sectors: foundational industries, innovation-driven industries, and creative industries.
Similarly, Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS), affirmed that the new HCMC is well-positioned to become the country’s leading integrated, high-tech, and sustainable industrial hub.
He explained that the expansion allows the city to combine the strengths of the former localities: HCMC excels in innovation, Binh Duong is strong in manufacturing and processing, while Ba Ria - Vung Tau has advantages in deep-water ports and logistics. This synergy creates a comprehensive industrial ecosystem, making the city an attractive destination for next-generation FDI inflows—precisely what global investors have long been seeking.
To transform potential into competitive advantage, Dr. Vu emphasized that HCMC must accelerate infrastructure projects such as Ring Road 3, Ring Road 4, Ho Chi Minh City-Moc Bai Expressway, Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, and Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway. These are critical transport arteries that directly link industrial zones with key international ports such as Cat Lai, Hiep Phuoc, and Cai Mep-Thi Vai, as well as regional logistics centers. Once completed, these routes will reduce transportation time and logistics costs, enhance the city’s competitiveness, and generate strong spillover effects to attract more large-scale investment projects.
According to Bao Dau Tu
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