- Daejeon Metropolitan City (South Korea)
On May 17th, 2005, Binh Duong Province and Daejeon Metropolitan City signed an agreement on developing friendly relations and investment cooperation between the two localities.
Daejeon Metropolitan City is the 5th largest city in South Korea with an area of 540 kilometers square and a population of 1.54 million people (2012). Daejeon is one of the Administrative Centers of the South Korean government where many Central Agencies are located. Besides, there are many universities, museums, science parks, and research institutes in South Korea such as Chungnam National University, and South Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Daejeon City is also known as the "Silicon Valley of Asia" and a city of advanced science and technology. Daedok Innopolis (Daedeok Special Zone for Research and Development) located in Daejeon includes the National Research Institute and 79 Private Research Institutes with 20.000 people.
Based on the signed agreement, yearly, leaders of Binh Duong Province and Daejeon Metropolitan City usually exchange high levels of delegations to visit and work to tighten cooperation relations and evaluate the process of implementing agreements signed by the two sides. Exchange programs, exchange cultures, and learning about customs and practices between student groups of the two localities occur annually (from 2004 to the present, there have been 11 student groups of the two localities, and they have had cultural exchanges in Binh Duong and Daejeon). These are cross-cultural activities that create conditions for students from both sides to have opportunities to exchange and learn about Vietnamese and Korean culture, contributing to deepening their friendly and cooperative relations.
Every year, Binh Duong province regularly organizes visits and seminars on investment promotion in Daejeon as well as in Seoul and other localities of South Korea.
Based on the friendly cooperative relationship between Binh Duong Province and Daejeon Metropolitan City, Binh Duong Provincial Public Security and Daejeon Police Agency established a friendly cooperative relationship in 2018 and officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2019.
- Champasak Province (Lao People's Democratic Republic)
On November 13th, 2006, Binh Duong Province and Champasak Province signed an agreement to develop friendly and cooperative relationships between the two localities.
Champasak Province is located in a key position at the intersection of the East-West corridor and borders Thailand and Cambodia. It has a strategic economic position and is a traffic hub for Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam. The province has an area of 15.410 km2 and a population of about 700.000 people (2015). The province's economy is mainly based on agricultural products, especially the production of industrial crops such as coffee, tea, rubber, etc. This is one of the most important coffee-producing regions of Laos with Salavan and Sekong provinces. Pakse is the main trade and travel route connecting Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam.
Based on the Friendly Cooperation Agreement signed on November 13th, 2006, between Binh Duong Province and Champasak Province (Laos), to strengthen the special friendly cooperation relationships between the two localities, in September 2016, Binh Duong Province and Champasak Province summarized, evaluated the results of cooperation in the period of 2011-2015 and continued to sign a Memorandum of Agreement on cooperation in the period of 2016-2020. In August 2022, the delegation of Secretaries - Governors of Champasak Province visited, worked, and signed Meeting Minutes with leaders of Binh Duong Province on cooperation in the period of 2022-2026. Thereby, the two localities regularly send delegations to visit and work with each other to tighten relationships in many fields.
To implement the Agreement and improve the effectiveness of cooperation between the two localities, in recent times, the Binh Duong provincial departments and branches have signed MOUs between the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee of Binh Duong Province and the Lao Front Committee for National Construction of Champasak Province (2019-2024); between the Department of Binh Duong Provincial Industry and Trade and the Department of Champasak Provincial Industry and Trade (2011); between the Binh Duong Provincial People's Procuracy and the Champasak Provincial People's Procuracy (2019).
Regarding economic cooperation: Binh Duong Province has actively implemented the project of planting 10.000 hectares of rubber trees and projects to develop the ceramic and construction materials industries in Champasak Province.
To implement the agreement between the two sides on cooperation in training and developing human resources, every year, Binh Duong Province offers full scholarships for students from Champasak Province to study at the university in Binh Duong. Up to now, Binh Duong Province has granted 93 scholarships to Lao students (52 students have graduated and returned to their country, and 41 students are studying at Thu Dau Mot University). From 2022 to 2026, Binh Duong Province will support training 20 students of Champasak Province each year to study at universities in the province.
At the same time, Binh Duong Province supported 100 senior retired officers from Champasak Province to have free medical examination, treatment, and short-term rest. In addition, in recent years, Binh Duong Province has also sent many delegations of doctors, medical staff and volunteers to examine, treat, and distribute medicine to people in Paksé District, Bachieng District, and Phonthong District of Champasak Province.
- Kratie Province (The Kingdom of Cambodia)
The friendly cooperative relationship between Binh Duong Province and Kratie Province is based on the traditional relationship between Song Be Province and Kratie Province in the past.
Kratie Province is located in the East of Cambodia on the Mekong River. Kratie has an area of 11.094 km2 and a population of about 372.000 people (2019).
Based on the traditional friendly relationship between the two localities, in recent years, Binh Duong has actively implemented many foreign economic and cultural activities with Kratie Province and other localities of Cambodia. Besides, local leaders regularly organize delegations to visit, wish Happy New Year, and attend the locality's major events.
Over the past years, the Viet Nam - Cambodia Friendship Association, Binh Duong Province has truly become a bridge to contribute to cultivating a close relationship between Viet Nam and Cambodia in general and Binh Duong and Kratie in particular.
Binh Duong Province and Kratie Province have signed 06 agreements on security and national defense cooperation including 01 agreement signed by the Provincial Military Command with the Military Sub-Region of Kratie Province, and 05 agreements between the Military Command of Thu Dau Mot City, Di An City, Ben Cat Town, Thuan An City and Tan Uyen City and Kratie Provincial Military Sub-Regions.
Leaders of Cambodia's localities always encourage and create favorable conditions for businesses in the province to promote trade and exports and expand investment cooperation with Cambodia. Currently, Phuoc Hoa Rubber Development Company Limited has invested in newly planting rubber in the Kratie Province and Kampong Thom Province.
- Guangzhou City (China)
On August 21st, 2013, Binh Duong Province and Guangzhou City (China) signed an Agreement on strengthening the friendly cooperative relationship between the two localities.
Guangzhou City is located in the Southeast of Guangdong Province and borders the Southern coast of China. The city has an area of 7.434.4 km2 and a population of 13.5 million people (2015). Being a famous economic center of China, Guangzhou also owns a developed transportation system and seaport. Along with Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen, Guangzhou is one of the most expensive real estate markets in China. Guangzhou is famous for the annual Hangzhou Fair, the oldest and largest trade fair in China. For three successive years from 2013 to 2015, Forbes magazine ranked Guangzhou as the best commercial city in China.
Based on the signed Friendly Cooperation Agreement, the two sides sent delegations of government and business leaders to visit, work, and learn about each other's socio-economic development situation and opportunities for investment cooperation.
Binh Duong Province will continue to promote the cooperative relationship with Guangzhou City and increase the exchange of delegations between the two sides, especially business delegations to promote investment.
- Emilia – Romagna Region (Italian Republic)
On October 16th, 2013, Binh Duong Province signed a "Joint Declaration on strengthening friendly cooperative relationships" with the Emilia-Romagna regional government and a "MOU on strengthening economic and trade cooperation" with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Emilia-Romagna region.
Besides, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Emilia-Romagna region officially opened a representative office in Binh Duong Province on September 11th, 2015. This is a bridge for investment and trade promotion of Italian businesses in general and Emilia-Romagna regional businesses investing in Binh Duong in particular, and it contributed to strengthening friendly relationships.
On September 11th, 2015, leaders of Binh Duong Province witnessed the signing ceremony of a MOU between Becamex IDC Corp and Unioncamere Emilia-Romagna; between Unimore University and Bonfiglioli Company; between Eastern International University and Unimore University.
The Emilia-Romagna region is located in Northern Italy with an area of 22.446 km2 and a population of about 4.4 million people (2010). Emilia-Romagna is one of the wealthiest and most developed regions in Italy with the third highest GDP per capita in the country. Emilia-Romagna is also a center of culture and tourism, and it is home to the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world still in existence nowadays, with Roman and Renaissance cities such as Modena, Parma and Ferrara. Besides, Emilia-Romagna is also a food and car production center (where the headquarters of car manufacturers are located including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, De Tomaso, Ducai, etc.). Binh Duong Province has organized many investment promotion seminars, introduced the province's investment environment, and attracted investment capital from businesses in the Emilia-Romagna Region and other Italian localities. In addition, the Emilia-Romagna Commercial Office in Binh Duong Province is also a bridge to organize a Roundtable Conference to introduce opportunities for investment cooperation between businesses of the two localities.
- Yamaguchi Prefecture (Japan)
On December 25th, 2014, Binh Duong Province and Yamaguchi Prefecture (Japan) signed an agreement on strengthening the friendly cooperative relationship between the two localities.
Yamaguchi Prefecture is located on Shikoku Island, Chugoku region, Japan, with an area of 6,112.94 km2 and, and a population of 1.4 million people (2015). Yamaguchi thrives in the petrochemical industry, heavy industry, shipbuilding industry, electronics, agriculture, aquaculture, processing, fishing, etc. Its strengths in the petrochemical industry and shipbuilding have contributed to bringing Yamaguchi to 8th position in the Japanese economy. Currently, the province is promoting cooperation between state-owned companies and corporations with private enterprises and universities applying scientific and technological achievements for economic development.
In recent years, the two sides have strengthened their friendly relationships through the exchange of high-level leadership delegations as well as the organization of investment promotion seminars to attract investment into Binh Duong province.
Based on the Friendly Cooperation Agreement signed on December 25th, 2014, between Binh Duong Province and Yamaguchi Prefecture (Japan), to strengthen the friendly and comprehensive cooperation relationship between the two localities, on September 8th, 2023, Binh Duong Province and Yamaguchi Prefecture signed a MOU in the field of nursing.
In addition, Eastern International University (EIU) signed 08 MOUs and International Agreements with Yamaguchi University and YIC Rehabilitation College. Besides, the exchange and agreement of signing an MOU with Yamaguchi Prefecture and Yamaguchi Prefectural University are being implemented to promote cooperative activities in the fields of English training, nursing, and other exchange and visit activities.
Through establishing cooperative relationships, the province has regularly exchanged high-level delegations and business delegations to visit, work, and exchange experiences. The province also organized many promotion programs to invite investment in Yamaguchi Prefecture and other localities in Japan and attracted many Japanese projects of great value in the fields of infrastructure construction, transportation, and services contributing to the process of modernization, urbanization, and building a modern and civilized Binh Duong urban area.
Some major projects: Panasonic Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Foster Electronics Corporation, Tokyu Corporation, Fujikura Company, Aeon Mall Viet Nam Co., Ltd, etc.
- Eindhoven City (The Kingdom of the Netherlands)
On January 16th, 2015, Binh Duong Province and Eindhoven City signed a MOU on strengthening friendly relations and expanding cooperative activities in the fields of planning and infrastructure development, urban construction, economic development, science and technology, health, and education. The two localities prioritize promoting scientific and technical cooperation activities, trade promotion and investment cooperation in the fields of industry and high-tech services, education - training, research centers and business incubators, and improving human resources and supply value chains. The authorities of the two sides jointly create favorable conditions for business delegations of the two localities to learn about and promote trade and investment promotion activities following the potential and strengths of each side. At the same time, the two sides make joint efforts to build sustainable relationships that contribute to promoting socio-economic development.
Eindhoven City is the center of North Brabant Province, Netherlands, known as a smart city and a major technology center of Europe. With an area of 88.84 km2 and a population of about 750.000 people (2010), this place is also a major innovation center, economic, research, and higher education center of the Netherlands. Eindhoven is the birthplace of large corporations in the world such as Philips, Daf Trucks, Brabantia, etc. In addition, there are more than 1.300 multinational companies and 19.200 researchers, in which the products that the city of Eindhoven has strengths are automobile accessories, electronic chip manufacturing, electronics, urban development planning, and smart technology.
Eindhoven is the locality that has the highest economic growth rate among the five largest cities in the Netherlands, not the capital of Amsterdam or the port city of Rotterdam. The high-tech industry makes an important contribution to Eindhoven's economic development and helps this locality always have a higher growth rate than the other four cities of the Netherlands.
The Binh Duong Smart City project was approved by the Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 3206/QD-UBND dated November 21st, 2016 (including members from the Binh Duong provincial government, Becamex IDC Corp, Eindhoven city government and Brainport Group) was established to study the feasibility of the triple helix model (state, business, and university).
Based on the friendly cooperative relationship between the two localities, Eindhoven has sent experts to support Binh Duong in building and implementing the Binh Duong Smart City Project with the breakthrough strategy of Binh Duong 2021. Binh Duong has gradually implemented the Binh Duong Smart City Project and achieved some initial results such as establishing an incubator, Fablab, Techlab, and LED project of urban lighting in cooperation with Philips Group of Eindhoven city, etc. With the support of Eindhoven City, in October 2018, Binh Duong was the first locality in Viet Nam to officially become a member of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) and was honored as one of 21 cities and regions with a typical smart city development strategy in the world (Smart21) for 5 successive years from 2019 to 2023. Especially, Binh Duong Province has been honored by the ICF to be in the TOP 7 and has been one of 07 communities with world-class smart development strategies for 3 successive years from 2021 to 2023.
Every year, high-level delegations and representatives of businesses in Binh Duong Province regularly visit, work, and organize seminars to attract investment in Eindhoven City and other localities of the Netherlands as well as in other European provinces and cities.
- East Flanders Province (The Kingdom of Belgium)
On October 14th, 2015, Binh Duong Province and East Flanders Province (Belgium) signed a MOU to establish a friendly cooperative relationship. This is a good opportunity for Binh Duong Province to conduct trade promotion activities, call for investment expansion, modern technology transfer, and cooperation in the fields of logistics, high-tech agriculture, and research, etc. from East Flanders Province and other localities of the Kingdom of Belgium.
East Flanders Province has an area of 2.982 km2 and a population of 1.5 million people. East Flanders is one of 5 provinces and cities in the Flamand Region - the key economic region of the Kingdom of Belgium and the whole of Europe with a concentration of many logistics centers and large seaports of the Kingdom of Belgium. Ghent City is the capital of East Flanders Province, known as "Europe's Silicon Valley", which has many famous information technology and multimedia companies.
The East Flanders Province is considered "where knowledge comes into play" with strengths in logistics services and knowledge activities. It is a highly developed logistics and technological area. The combination of knowledge and logistics strengths creates some unique local positions. One of the strengths of East Flanders Province is that it is located in a strategic geographical area connecting the developed economic regions of Europe from Manchester (UK) to Milan (Italy) the region contributing up to 2/3 GDP of the European Union. The transportation network system is widely developed and effectively connected by road, rail, and waterway. The province has two seaports, i.e., Ghent Port and Waasland Port, and part of Antwerp Port (the second largest seaport in Europe connecting trade with the world).
Based on cooperation, the two sides have strengthened their friendship through the exchange of high-level delegations as well as the organization of a seminar to promote investment attraction in Binh Duong Province.
- Emmen City (The Kingdom of the Netherlands)
On November 17th, 2015, Binh Duong Province and Emmen City (The Kingdom of the Netherlands) signed a cooperation agreement between the two sides on strengthening the friendly cooperative relationship and expanding cooperative activities in various fields: Economy, trade, services, tourism, import-export, and investment cooperation.
Emmen City is located in the Northeast of the Netherlands and has an area of 346.25 km2 and a population of more than 107.000 people (2018). Emmen is the largest industrial center in the Northern Netherlands and is famous for its chemical industries, high technology, manufacturing and materials, logistics, agriculture, oil and gas exploitation, etc. Stenden University in Emmen City is one of the most famous universities in the Netherlands. Currently, the University has established a group of research and development cooperation with countries around the world including Binh Duong province.
Every year, high-level delegations and representatives of businesses in Binh Duong Province also visit, work, and organize seminars to attract investment in Emmen City, other localities of the Netherlands as well as in other European provinces and cities.
- Oryol Oblast (Russian Federation)
On July 7th, 2017, Binh Duong Province signed a MOU for cooperation with Oryol oblast (Russian Federation).
Oryol Province of the Russian Federation has Oryol City as its administrative center and is far away about 360 km southwest of Moscow. With an area of 24.652 km2 and a population of 769.980 people, Oryol oblast is divided into 24 administrative units including 7 cities and 14 districts. The province's main industries include the food processing industry, construction materials industry, light industry, machinery and equipment manufacturing industry for agriculture and other industries (accounting for 30% of the province's production value), etc. In addition, Oryol Province is a locality with many large-scale mechanical and electronic manufacturing companies, applying modern science and technology.
Based on cooperation, Binh Duong Province has also sent high-level delegations and representatives of Binh Duong Province's businesses to visit, work, and promote investment attraction into Binh Duong Province.
- Gangnam District, Seoul (South Korea)
On January 6th, 2022, Binh Duong Province and Gangnam District, Seoul (South Korea) signed an online strategic cooperation agreement to promote investment, international trade activities, and the exchange of culture and tourism. Especially, the two sides cooperated in the organization of international conferences, fairs, and exhibitions as well as promoted cultural exchange and introduction activities of the two sides.
Gangnam is one of 25 districts in Seoul, South Korea. Gangnam District belongs to the Gangnam area located in the Southeast of the city with an area of 39.5 km2 and a population of 527.641 people. This is one of Seoul's wealthiest districts.
- State of Nebraska (USA)
On July 12th, 2023, Binh Duong Province signed a friendly cooperative relationship with the state of Nebraska (USA).
Nebraska is a state located in the Great Plains and Midwest region of the United States. The state of Nebraska has 93 districts with an area of more than 200.000 km2and a population of about 1.9 million people. Nebraska is a strong state in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, freight, telecommunications, information technology, and insurance. In 2021, Nebraska's GDP reached 123.9 billion dollars and was ranked 35th among the 50 states of the USA.
- Artemisa Province (Cuba)
On August 25th, 2023, Binh Duong Province signed a MOU on establishing cooperative relations and twinning with Artemisa Province (Cuba).
Artemisa Province is one of Cuba's two new provinces established on August 1st, 2010, with the division of La Habana Province. The capital and largest city of the province is Artemisa with an area of 4.004.27 km2 and a population of 502.392 people. The province is located on the line of the main highway and main railway between Havana and Pinar del Río. This is also the area where Thai Binh Viet Nam Company is investing and operating. Although it is newly established, Artemisa Province has made many contributions to Cuba and played an important role in the country's industrial and agricultural activities. This is also the main agricultural product supply for the La Habana capital.
* International organizations
With appropriate development orientation and efforts, Binh Duong Province has achieved some very encouraging results and is the first locality in Viet Nam to officially become a member of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). For 5 successive years from 2019 to 2023, Binh Duong has been honored by ICF as one of 21 cities with the world's typical smart city development strategy - SMART 21. Especially, Binh Duong Province has been honored by the ICF Forum to be in the TOP 7, and it is one of 07 communities with the world's typical smart development strategies for 3 successive years from 2021 to 2023. In 2023, Binh Duong was in the TOP 1 of ICF.
Binh Duong is now a trusted partner of 03 international organizations including ICF, Horasis, and the World Trade Center Association (WTCA).
* Friendship organizations:
In recent times, as a socio-political organization specializing in people diplomatic work, the Union of Friendship Organizations of Binh Duong Province has always focused on consolidating and expanding people-to-people relations with countries, especially localities with close traditional relationships with the province. The Union has now established 10 Friendship Associations (including Viet Nam - Cambodia Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - Laos Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - Russia Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - South Korea Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - China Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - Japan Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - India Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - Federal Republic of Germany Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - Singapore Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam - Netherlands Friendship Association of Binh Duong Province) and 01 Committee to establish Viet Nam - ASEAN Friendship Association in Binh Duong Province with more than 2.000 members participating in activities.
The Union and Friendship Associations always focus on strengthening foreign affairs activities, education, friendly exchanges, cooperation, and charity support, with many outstanding forms such as "The Joint Mekong River - Deep Love" program for cultural exchanges with Southeast Asian countries; "Nurturing Friendship" program mobilizes society to award scholarships to Cambodian and Lao's students studying at the Military Engineering Officer School; "Kocham Scholarship - Raising Dreams" program awards scholarships to students in difficult circumstances who study well; Korean and Japanese cultural festivals; Art performance programs, cultural and artistic exchanges, concerts of Viet Nam and other countries; "Korean Cultural Experience - Homestay" program; Responding to International Yoga Day program; Activities to introduce the January Full Moon Festival, etc. From there, it has contributed to tightening the solidarity between the people of Binh Duong and the people of other countries.
In recent years, the international position of Binh Duong Province has improved. The Union of Friendship Organizations and Friendship Associations have linked the common task of people-to-people diplomatic work oriented by the Central Government with the direction of the Provincial Party Committee and operation of the Provincial People's Committee. People-to-people diplomacy activities have been through to actively introduce and promote Binh Duong's potential and investment opportunities to people of other countries and international organizations. At the same time, the Union of Friendship Organizations also coordinates to effectively mobilize international organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations and attract a variety of international resources to serve socio-economic development and social security programs in the province.
In the coming time, the activities of the Union of Friendship Organizations and members of Friendship Associations will continue to focus on propagating the achievements achieved after more than 35 years of innovation of the country in general, and 25 years of Binh Duong's construction and development in particular. It will continue to promote the establishment of more appropriate new Friendship Associations. Besides, it is necessary to strengthen friendly cooperation between Binh Duong and foreign localities and promote the image of the country and the people of Viet Nam as well as Binh Duong Province to international friends.