HCM City’s mechanical and electrical industries poised to expand markets and deepen integration into global supply chains. — Photo courtesy of ITCP

HCM CITY — HCM City is stepping up efforts to strengthen business connections and improve the competitiveness of its mechanical engineering, electrical equipment and digital technology industries through a trade promotion programme running from October 20 to 25.

The Trade and Investment Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC), in collaboration with the HCM City Association of Mechanical and Electrical Enterprises (HAMEE), opened the 2026 Trade Connection and Product Showcase Week for the mechanical, electrical and digital technology sectors on October 20.

The event is being held under the city’s plan, which outlines measures to support the development of businesses and products in the mechanical engineering and automation sectors.

The programme aims to provide a professional platform for businesses to promote their brands, connect directly with potential domestic and international partners, expand their domestic markets and increase exports, while strengthening their positions in global supply chains.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Lê Anh Hoàng, deputy director of ITPC, said the 2026–30 period would mark a strategic shift in the city’s growth model, with digitalisation and greening serving as its two main drivers.

The city aims to have the digital economy account for 30–40 per cent of its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) and the green economy contribute at least 10 per cent by 2030.

Mechanical engineering and electrical equipment are among the key industries receiving support to adopt environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, improve product quality and enable domestically manufactured goods to participate directly in multinational corporations’ supply networks.

Citing figures from the Vietnam Customs Department, Hoàng said exports of computers, electronic products and components rose 51.1 per cent in the first eight months of 2026 to US$101.06 billion. The group surpassed the US$100 billion mark for the first time in an eight-month period, maintaining its position as the country’s largest export category.

Meanwhile, exports of machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts reached nearly US$47.3 billion, up 26.4 per cent year on year.

This year’s programme brings together 22 businesses showcasing technologies and solutions across five key groups: machinery manufacturing, supporting industries, construction mechanics, electrical equipment and digital technology, and industrial materials and supplies.

Trần Thành Trọng, a HCM City People’s Council deputy and first vice chairman of HAMEE, said the event’s integration of mechanical engineering, electrical equipment and digital technology would create opportunities for strategic partnerships between machinery manufacturers and providers of control systems and digital solutions.

Such cooperation could help businesses develop integrated equipment and systems that meet increasingly demanding technical and operational standards, he said.

Trọng also stressed that exhibition activities should lead to concrete business outcomes, including technical exchanges, sample deliveries, quotations, factory visits and formal cooperation agreements.

He urged manufacturers to accelerate their green transition through measurable measures such as saving electricity, reducing material waste and defective products, and improving machinery productivity, supported by technology, preferential financing and city policies.

The week will also feature a seminar on green transition trends in the mechanical and electrical industries. ITPC expects the programme to strengthen domestic industrial links and expand trade cooperation between Vietnamese businesses and foreign-invested enterprises, helping local industries integrate more deeply into regional and global value chains. — VNS