South Africa seeks fresh momentum in Ho Chi Minh City-Johannesburg ties

At a reception hosted by Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, South African Ambassador to Vietnam Vuyiswa Tulelo expressed strong confidence in deeper bilateral cooperation as the two countries enter a new phase of strategic relations.

Vinh praised the steady and dynamic development of Vietnam-South Africa ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993.

He said that high-level exchanges have become increasingly frequent, highlighted by the recent state visit of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Vietnam on October 23-24 at the invitation of State President Luong Cuong, as well as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s trip to South Africa for the G20 Summit from November 21 to 24.

During PM Chinh’s trip to South Africa, both sides adopted a joint statement officially upgrading their relationship to a strategic partnership.

South Africa is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner and export market in Africa.

In October 2025, bilateral trade surpassed US$1.1 billion, with Vietnam exporting more than $700 million worth of goods, mainly mobile phones, electronic components, footwear, and textiles.

Vietnam, meanwhile, imports fruit and vegetables, gemstones, and precious metals from South Africa.

Despite the strong trade momentum, Vinh said the overall cooperation potential remains far from fully tapped.

South Africa has long been an important African economic partner of Ho Chi Minh City, with 13 South African investment projects totaling about $245,000.

Two-way trade between the city and South Africa in 2025 is estimated at around $150 million.

Ho Chi Minh City also established a friendship relationship with Johannesburg in 2009, but concrete cooperation has remained modest.

Against the backdrop of the newly upgraded strategic partnership, Vinh proposed stronger cooperation in trade and investment, renewable energy, green transformation, manufacturing and processing industries, as well as supply chains, logistics, ports, and maritime services.

The city is also interested in technology transfer, joint green energy projects, and studying the feasibility of a direct sea transport route between Vietnam and South Africa.

The ambassador said Vietnam-South Africa relations are now at an excellent stage, demonstrated by three major leadership-level engagements between the two countries in just one year.

She added that within only a few hours of arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, she was already impressed by the city’s rapid development.

The South African diplomat also expressed strong interest in Ho Chi Minh City’s recent administrative expansion following its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces, saying that she wanted to explore new development opportunities created by this change.

She added that Johannesburg is South Africa’s major logistics hub, while the Ba Ria-Vung Tau area has strengths in the marine economy and deep-water ports. These complementary advantages, she said, open up significant room for cooperation.

She stressed South Africa’s desire to reinvigorate the Ho Chi Minh City-Johannesburg partnership.

She encouraged the Ho Chi Minh City administration to send more delegations to South Africa to explore cooperation opportunities nationwide, and pledged that the South African Embassy would actively support business matchmaking, exchanges, and trade promotion between the two sides.

Both sides voiced strong confidence that the recently-established strategic partnership will become a powerful driver for Ho Chi Minh City and South African localities, especially Johannesburg, to expand substantial, effective, and long-term cooperation in the years to come.