Vietnam's Gia Lai Province has promoted its investment potential and sought Chinese partners in high technology, green manufacturing, logistics, port infrastructure and value-added agricultural processing during a series of investment promotion events in Shanghai, Suzhou and Ningbo.

As part of the province's 2026 investment and trade promotion program in China, a delegation led by Thai Dai Ngoc, Secretary of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee, conducted a series of meetings and business events from July 5 to July 13.

Seeking partners in technology and advanced manufacturing

On July 7, the delegation met with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Shanghai Federation of Modern Industries, and participated in an economic, trade and investment networking conference with local businesses.

According to Nguyen Tu Cong Hoang, Vice Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee, following Vietnam's recent administrative restructuring, Gia Lai now covers more than 21,500 square kilometers and has a population of over 3.5 million. The province's development corridor stretches from the Central Highlands to the South Central Coast, providing strong connectivity between agricultural production areas, industrial parks, economic zones and seaports.

Between 2021 and 2025, Gia Lai's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) grew by an average of 6.71% annually. During the same period, the province attracted 192 investment projects, including 16 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, with total registered capital of nearly VND 160 trillion (USD 6.1 billion).

Nguyen Tu Cong Hoang said China has become one of Gia Lai's key investment partners. The province currently hosts 14 Chinese-invested projects with total registered capital exceeding USD 170 million, mainly in manufacturing, processing, supporting industries, logistics and agricultural value chains.

In Shanghai, Gia Lai promoted priority investment opportunities in agricultural and forestry processing, manufacturing, clean energy, logistics, industrial park infrastructure, digital technology, data centers, artificial intelligence, tourism and urban services.

The province is also accelerating planning, transport infrastructure development, logistics networks, industrial parks, land preparation and workforce development to accommodate new investment flows.

At the conference, Shanghai's business community described Gia Lai as a promising destination in Vietnam's Central Highlands and central coastal region, offering broad development opportunities and an open investment environment.

Participants noted that Gia Lai's natural resources, industrial priorities and development needs complement Shanghai's strengths in modern services, industrial development and supporting enterprises expanding into overseas markets.

The Shanghai Federation of Modern Industries announced that it plans to organize a delegation of leading member companies to visit Gia Lai in early 2027 to explore and launch practical cooperation projects.

During activities on July 8 and 9, Gia Lai also expressed its interest in learning from Suzhou's experience in industrial park planning and management, high-tech zone development, smart city construction and innovation ecosystems.

The province invited Suzhou-based companies to invest in manufacturing, industrial processing, electrical and electronic equipment, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, clean energy, logistics, high-tech agriculture and industrial park infrastructure.

Linking seaports with logistics and production hubs

On July 10, the delegation visited Ningbo Port to study its modern port management model, automated cargo operations, smart logistics systems, multimodal transportation, warehousing and international shipping connections.

Gia Lai hopes to learn from Ningbo's experience in seaport planning, investment and operations, as well as the application of digital technologies in managing import and export cargo and integrating ports with industrial parks, logistics centers and manufacturing hubs.

According to the province's development strategy, seaports and logistics will become key drivers of its expanding marine economy, boosting exports and imports while enhancing overall competitiveness.

Gia Lai also benefits from its ability to connect agricultural production areas, processing industries, industrial parks and economic zones with the seaport network around Quy Nhon–Nhon Hoi.

The province aims to maximize the efficiency of existing port infrastructure while attracting investment in logistics centers, warehouses, cold storage facilities, bonded warehouses, multimodal transportation and transport links connecting seaports with industrial parks, economic zones and raw material regions.

At a business networking conference in Ningbo, Gia Lai invited investment in port logistics services, international trade, value-added agricultural processing, manufacturing of equipment, components and advanced materials, renewable energy and industrial park infrastructure.

The province pledged to provide investors with detailed information on planning, available land, cargo supply, labor resources and investment support policies. It also plans to organize specialized working sessions to discuss project locations, financing options and implementation roadmaps.

According to Provincial Party Secretary Thai Dai Ngoc, Gia Lai hopes to establish long-term cooperation channels with Ningbo's business community, paving the way for concrete investment projects and practical partnership programs.

Binh An – An Nhien