On December 3, Can Tho People’s Committee held a major dialogue between authorities and businesses. This was the chance for the local leaders to grasp challenges during the business and production process in the city. The dialogue serves as a constructive platform for the city to remove obstacles and foster a more favourable investment climate for businesses.

The locality is working together constructively to ensure a strong business environment

At the dialogue, Nguyen Thi Kieu Duyen, director of the city’s Centre for Investment Promotion, Trade, and Exhibition, said, “The centre sent survey questionnaires to businesses and investors operating in the city. We received feedback from 16 businesses with 32 issues, including credit capital, taxation and support policies, consumption markets, labour resources, land, production materials, and brand name certificate.”

One of the common issues is the lack of access to preferential capital sources, especially from Vietnam Bank for Social Policy and the Cooperative Support Fund, due to requirements for documents and collateral. Demand for medium- and long-term loans to finance processing lines, drying facilities, and cold storage has not been met in a timely manner. Tax incentive policies for agricultural processing enterprises remain vague.

Other challenges include the limited access to small- and medium-sized enterprise support programmes and the lack of specific mechanisms for One Commune, One Product enterprises investing in deep processing, packaging innovation, and brand identity design.

In terms of consumption markets, agricultural input prices have continued to fluctuate in 2025, affecting businesses’ production planning. Regarding land issues, businesses struggle to scale up factories due to delays in land allocation. This is compounded with slow and prolonged procedures for land leases and related paperwork.

Duyen said, “The centre has sent 32 recommendations to 17 departments and agencies for review and response. So far, we have received 10 written responses addressing 20 issues. The city’s Public Administration Service Centre has directly resolved concerns on brand name certification for Victoria Can Tho Co., Ltd., while 11 other issues remain under review by six departments and agencies.”

A magnet to major ventures

Acknowledging the recommendations, Vuong Quoc Nam, Vice Chairman of Can Tho People’s Committee, said Can Tho will focus on removing obstructions for businesses so that they can feel secure in investment and production in the city.

“We also proposed specialised agencies and people’s committees of communes and wards to advance administrative reform with a view to reducing time for land, investment, construction, and business registration procedures. Thus, businesses can quickly kickstart their operation. Efforts should also be made to improve the Provincial Competitiveness Index rating,” Nam said.

The city continues to prioritise investments in inter-regional transport infrastructure, logistics, and industrial cluster infrastructure.

“Focus is also given to supporting small businesses, innovative startups, and businesses investing in technological innovation, green and digital transformation, trade promotion, and market expansion,” Nam added.

Not only removing pain points for businesses, the city is poised to create a breakthrough following the merger of Can Tho, Soc Trang, and Hau Giang provinces in July. With expanded development space, a geographically central location, and modern infrastructure, the city is expected to become a growth pole and dynamic hub of the region.

Can Tho’s advantage lies in its comprehensive logistics ecosystem with vertical and horizontal highways connecting quickly with Ho Chi Minh City, the Eastern region, the entire Mekong Delta, Tran De deepwater port, Cai Cui port cluster, waterway ports, and international airports. A number of key transport infrastructure, from seaports to bridges and international airports in the pipeline, will boost connectivity and regional development.

Furthermore, the city also boasts an ecosystem of quality education, healthcare, and services, along with abundant labour resources to meet businesses’ demand. This is a major advantage for the city to lure capital inflows into trade, services, urban areas, high-tech agriculture, deep processing, modern logistics, smart tourism, green growth, and sustainable business models, solidifying its position as a new national growth driver.

Clean and stable

Thanks to the outstanding advantages, Can Tho has become a magnet to multiple large-scale ventures in industrial infrastructure, trade, services, and energy. Notably, Phase 1 of the Vinh Thanh Industrial Park covers just under 300 hectares with a total investment of $160 million. With its technical infrastructure taking shape, the venture has attracted some tenants.

Petrovietnam and Can Tho city also started construction of the O Mon IV thermal power plant at the O Mon Power Centre in August. As a key component of the Block B–O Mon gas-to-power value chain, the plant uses combined-cycle technology with gas turbines, having a designed capacity of about 1,155MW and an annual electricity output of around seven billion kWh.

The plant, which costs around $1.3 billion, will generate clean and stable power to the Mekong Delta once completed by the end of 2028.

Another major initiative, AEON Mall Can Tho, held a groundbreaking ceremony in April, with an investment of almost $205 million. In the first phase, the initiative comprises a shopping mall with a floor area of nearly 114,000 square metres, which is slated for completion within 36 months of licensing.

The second phase will feature a second shopping mall and parking tower. Upon completion, AEON Mall Can Tho will be the largest shopping mall in the Mekong Delta.

Many delegations of corporations and businesses have flocked to the city to explore large-scale investment ventures. Vingroup is promoting the Mekong Urban Tourism Resort project in Chau Thanh, Dong Phuoc, Phu Huu, and Thanh Hoa communes. The initiative will feature public services, healthcare, education, urban areas, tourist areas, and resorts. This is coupled with cultural–sports experience areas including water parks, a 36-hole golf course, entertainment zones, parks, green trees, flower gardens, water surfaces, and landscape lakes.

In the field of urban development, Alphanam Group has proposed several ventures, including the Mai Dam River New Urban Area and the Urban Area 657 in Chau Thanh; a residential and hotel complex in Cai Khe Ward; and Vo Van Kiet Urban Area (Zone 1) in Long Tuyen ward.

In commerce and services, Central Retail Vietnam and Espace Business Hue are surveying investment in shopping malls and supermarkets in the city.

Vuong Thanh Nam, vice director of Can Tho Department of Finance, said that in 2025, Can Tho is estimated to see 4,600 newly registered enterprises with total registered capital of over $1 billion, up almost 33 per cent on-year. Currently, the city is home to 26,000 businesses in operation.

Since early 2025, the city has attracted 22 new projects, including one foreign-backed initiative worth $100 million and 21 domestic ventures totalling $767 million.

Currently, Can Tho hosts 124 foreign-invested projects with total registered capital of about $7.45 billion and over 1,030 domestic projects registered at more than $18 billion.