In recent years, the business community and the entrepreneurial network in Hai Phong have played a key role in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and ensuring social welfare for the city. Hai Phong currently has nearly 43,000 registered enterprises, but only about 27,000 of them are actually in operation. Among these, large enterprises account for a very small proportion—less than 1%; small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up about 30%, and the remainder are micro-enterprises, representing 60–65%.
The Association of Enterprises and the People's Committee of Hai Phong City signed a coordination regulation to jointly implement activities to promote business development.
During the 2020–2024 period, the private economic sector contributed steadily between 40% and 45% of the city’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) and over 60% of the city’s domestic budget revenue. These figures highlight the increasingly essential role of the private sector in the local economy. However, the business community remains fragmented and lacks cohesion. It has yet to form a strong collective force capable of deeply participating in value chains and supply chains at regional, national, and global levels.
The official establishment and launch of the Hai Phong City Business Association marks a significant step forward in consolidating and enhancing the role of the business sector. At the founding congress, an Executive Committee of 30 reputable and experienced entrepreneurs from various fields was elected. Mr. Lê Tiến Châu, Secretary of the Hai Phong City Party Committee, evaluated that the founding of the Association is timely, aligning with the 12.5% growth target for 2025 and laying the groundwork for strong development during 2026–2030.
City leaders affirmed they will always accompany businesses, facilitating every stage—from investment procedures and access to land, capital mobilization, and technology transfer to support in market connection, workforce training, and trade-investment promotion. The city expects to develop a robust business ecosystem capable of participating in global production chains, especially supporting industrial enterprises serving the FDI sector.
Secretary Lê Tiến Châu emphasized that the Business Association must develop its organization toward industry diversity and strengthen its role as the representative voice of businesses in policy-making and policy critique. Additionally, it must promote linkages among member enterprises to form production value chains, gradually participate in global supply chains, and cooperate deeply with foreign-invested enterprises. Enhancing competitiveness, scale, and brand value must go hand in hand with innovation, digital transformation, green development, and building a high-quality workforce. Simultaneously, it is necessary to strengthen international cooperation, expand regional connections, and reinforce investment-trade promotion activities.
He also called on the city’s business community to foster a spirit of innovation, dare to think and act, and kindle the aspiration for personal enrichment and social contribution. At the same time, they must commit to legal compliance, developing corporate culture, raising business ethics, and actively participating in community social activities.
Mr. Trần Văn Thắng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sao Do Group, was elected as the Chairman of the Hai Phong Business Association. In his remarks at the congress, he emphasized the Association’s long-term vision for sustainable development, building a Hai Phong business community that is not only large in number but also of high quality, aiming to establish many enterprises with national and regional stature.
The Association will guide members to apply advanced science and technology, keeping pace with the trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, aiming to dominate the domestic market and expand internationally. Through this, it will contribute to realizing the goal of turning Hai Phong into a modern industrial city, in line with Political Bureau Resolution 45-NQ/TW, rising to become a national leading international seaport, logistics, industrial, and services center.