The ASEAN-China Construction Ministers' Roundtable Conference was successfully held in Guilin City, Guangxi Province, China on September 15th, 2025. The delegation of the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam, led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van, attended and made important and highly constructive contributions to the Conference
With the theme "Empowering Digital Intelligence - Inheriting and Promoting Cultural Values - Promoting High-Quality Development in the ASEAN-China Construction Sector", the Conference served as a forum for ASEAN member states and China to share visions and experience, and propose strategic cooperation solutions in housing and urban development.
Photo of Ministers and Heads of Delegations of ASEAN countries
Speaking at the Plenary Session, Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van highlighted Vietnam's achievements, experiences and orientations in housing and urban development. He affirmed Vietnam's commitment to proactively and responsibly participating in regional cooperation mechanisms, notably the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN).
Given the region’s shared challenges, especially the impacts of climate change on urbanisation, the Vietnamese official proposed maintaining and strengthening the role of the annual ministerial conference as a key mechanism to address common issues and develop concrete action initiatives. It also suggested joint in-depth research programmes on pressing topics such as smart cities, climate change adaptation, and heritage preservation in the digital environment; enhancing the exchange of practical experience in applying technology and digital intelligence to build smart, resilient, and livable cities. These proposals clearly demonstrated the spirit of cooperation for common interests and have received consensus and high appreciation from the participating countries.
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A view of the 2025 China-ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable on Construction.
In a spirit of frank and open dialogue, participants heard insightful remarks presented by the Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China, ministers and heads of delegations from ASEAN member states. They reviewed effective cooperation outcomes in training human resources, scientific–technological exchange, harmonising construction standards, and implementing joint investment projects.
Delegates agreed to adopt the “Guilin Initiative”, which is expected to lay a foundation for a new phase of deeper and more substantive cooperation, aiming to build a shared sustainable and prosperous development future.
The success of this Conference continues to affirm the importance of the ASEAN-China cooperation mechanism, while underscoring Vietnam's strong commitment to joining hands with other countries to build a dynamic, resilient and inclusive Asian region.
From September 14-17, 2025, the working delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction held important bilateral talks with China and Malaysia, aiming to promote cooperation in the field of construction and urban development in depth and substance. The activities took place within the framework of the ASEAN-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction and the working trip to Nanning City, Guangxi Province (China), opening up new and effective cooperation opportunities for the Vietnamese construction industry.
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Bilateral talks with the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
During the bilateral meeting with Mr. Li Xiaolong, Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China, both sides shared their respective development strategies and highly appreciated the results of cooperation in recent times. The Chinese side shared about the "4 good" high-quality development model (good house, good apartment, good city, good community) based on digitalization and modern technology. On the Vietnamese side, Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van informed about the country's strategic innovations, creating a favorable basis for breakthrough development in the coming time.
The two sides agreed to soon review and agree on a new cooperation mechanism, focusing on potential areas such as: Urban planning applying new technology; Perfecting the system of construction standards and regulations; Mobilizing private resources for infrastructure development; Cooperation in training officials.
As a part of the working program in Guangxi Province, the delegation from the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam held an in-depth working session with the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangxi to exchange notable practical experiences. The Department shared their successes in urban renovation, social housing development, smart city construction, and the application of digital technologies in the construction sector. Notably, Guangxi enterprises have been increasingly active in participating in public welfare projects in Vietnam.
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Photo taken at the bilateral meeting between Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van and Malaysian Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming.
At the meeting with Nga Kor Ming, Malaysian Minister of Housing and Local Government, both sides expressed their delight at the positive cooperation between the two countries and agreed to promote the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on housing cooperation. The Malaysian side also proposed exploring the possibility of opening a direct flight route between the two countries to facilitate trade and investment. Technical agencies from both sides would continue to exchange information to further concretize the areas of cooperation.
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Bilateral meeting between the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia.
The series of diplomatic activities has reaffirmed the Ministry of Construction's policy of proactive and comprehensive international integration, promising to make positive contributions to the sustainable development of the construction sector.