Fully grasping the General Secretary's directive on promoting comprehensive and extensive international integration to serve national development during the nation's era of rising strength, Can Tho City have proactively, flexibly, and practically implemented foreign affairs and investment promotion activities in the early months of 2026, thereby contributing to the city's rapid socio-economic development.
Innovating Thinking and Elevating External Relations
In implementation of the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress and the General Secretary's directives on shaping Vietnam's external relations and diplomacy – prioritizing deep and broad integration without dependency, and expanding international cooperation while upholding independence, sovereignty, and national interests – the Standing Committee of the Can Tho City Party Committee has directed all levels and sectors to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws regarding external relations in the new context.
The guiding principle adopted is: "flexibility in form, substance in content, and effectiveness in results". The City Department of External Relations has advised the City People's Committee to ensure close and synchronized coordination among the three pillars – Party external relations, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy – to generate combined strength, maintain political stability, and expand international cooperative ties.
In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the city received and worked with 161 delegations, totaling 1,526 foreign visitors. Notably, the City People's Committee directly hosted 14 high-level delegations comprising 131 guests – including ambassadors, consuls general, leaders of major economic corporations, and local government representatives from various countries – who came to explore cooperation opportunities across strategic sectors such as culture, tourism, transportation, aviation logistics, flood control, clean water treatment, and green and renewable energy.
Targeted and strategic investment promotion
Aiming for double-digit growth during the 2026–2030 period, Can Tho City is making concerted efforts to achieve this goal through proactive, methodical, and in-depth investment promotion activities.
The Can Tho City Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Center has actively coordinated reception and working sessions with numerous delegations of potential international investors. A notable example was the meeting with Sumitomo Corporation (Japan) – a leading global conglomerate with nearly 30 years of investment experience in Vietnam and billions of USD invested in industrial park infrastructure, energy, and urban real estate. Mr. Eita Fujikawa, General Director of Sumitomo Corporation Vietnam, spoke highly of Can Tho’s investment environment, particularly on its transport infrastructure which offers rapid and convenient connectivity to Ho Chi Minh City and other regional localities, and expressed a desire to explore long-term investment cooperation opportunities in the city.
Additionally, Sojitz Vietnam Co., Ltd. visited to discuss cooperation opportunities in industrial park development, logistics, high-tech agriculture, and clean energy – priority sectors for which Can Tho is actively seeking high-quality investment.
Partnering with investors to create a transparent and sustainable environment
Speaking at meetings with diplomatic delegations and foreign investors, Mr. Truong Canh Tuyen – Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee – emphasized the city's consistent stance: Can Tho does not prioritize the sheer number of projects. Instead, it focuses on attracting high-quality, environmentally friendly investments that utilize advanced technology and align with the city's green and sustainable development orientation. The city is committed to partnering with investors to build a transparent, stable, and open investment environment, creating favorable conditions for businesses to implement projects effectively and establish a long-term presence.
This stance fully aligns with the General Secretary's directive that economic development must go hand-in-hand with environmental protection; that growth should not be pursued at any cost; and that the long-term interests of the people must be prioritized.
Driven by a sound strategic vision, flexible and practical implementation methods, and a proactive spirit of deep international integration, Can Tho City’s external relations efforts are playing a vital role in enhancing the city's international standing and image, gradually realizing the aspiration to transform Can Tho into a dynamic development hub of the Mekong Delta in the new era.