Amazon to launch direct shipping route from Ho Chi Minh City to US

Amazon Global Selling, a subsidiary of Amazon, supports international sellers on Amazon platforms in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

Larry Hu, head of Amazon Global Selling ASEAN, shared the plan during a meeting with Nguyen Van Dung, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City administration, on the sidelines of the 2025 Autumn Economic Forum, held in the city on Wednesday.

Hu said the project is expected to roll out soon and expressed hope for close cooperation with city authorities.

Dung welcomed the initiative, saying the city is pleased to see local businesses expanding on Amazon’s global e-commerce platforms.

He said Ho Chi Minh City hopes Amazon will help develop the local e-commerce ecosystem and support digital training programs to enhance the capacity of exporters engaged in cross-border online trade.

The vice-chairman also stressed that the city places strong emphasis on digital transformation in building a smart city and expects Amazon to contribute to this process in the commercial sector.

A key priority, he said, is developing a high-quality workforce suited to digital commerce and smart city development, drawing on Amazon’s international experience.

Hu added that Amazon Global Selling’s Vietnam operations have seen steady growth.

Over the past 12 months, about 17 million product units have been exported from Vietnam through Amazon platforms, while both the number of Vietnamese sellers and export volumes to the U.S. and Europe have continued to rise.

Hu outlined four key drivers behind the growth of Vietnam’s cross-border e-commerce exports: a shift in mindset among business leaders from traditional OEM manufacturing to brand-led innovation; strong and adaptable human resources; the application of artificial intelligence across product design, marketing, and automated operations; and a robust logistics system that ensures fast and reliable delivery to Amazon marketplaces worldwide.

Hu also proposed holding regular quarterly or semiannual working sessions with city authorities to update progress on joint initiatives.

Qatar seeks investment ties with Ho Chi Minh City

Also the same day, Nguyen Van Duoc, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City administration, met with Khalid Ali Abel, Qatar’s Ambassador to Vietnam, to discuss investment cooperation opportunities.

Duoc said the forum highlighted strong interest from global investors in green transformation and digital-era development, as well as the city’s ambition to become an international financial hub.

Several cooperation agreements and memoranda have been signed this year between Ho Chi Minh City and the World Economic Forum, along with major corporations and financial institutions.

Ambassador Khalid Ali Abel hailed the forum as a major success, saying Qatar is exploring investment opportunities in food security, consumer goods, information technology, automobiles and auto parts, and liquefied gas.

The diplomat added that Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City remain relatively new markets for Qatari investors and hoped both sides would soon discuss partnership opportunities.

Duoc said Ho Chi Minh City has completed its administrative merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, expanding its strengths in industry and the marine economy while maintaining its role as a financial and innovation center.

He invited Qatari business delegations to engage with city agencies to identify specific cooperation projects.