Development of a Creative Space Network in Ho Chi Minh City in the Context of Implementing Resolution 80-NQ/TW: A Comparative Perspective with Shanghai

In the context of operationalizing Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in the digital era, this study conceptualizes creative space networks as a pivotal infrastructural component of the urban ecosystem. The study employs a qualitative content analysis combined with comparative institutional analysis, utilizing a triangulation of secondary data sources. The objective is to provide a systematic understanding of how creative space networks function as mediating structures between policy directives and urban cultural production. Findings reveal significant differences between the two cities in terms of institutional arrangements, network density, and governance effectiveness. Moreover, the comparative analysis highlights that Shanghai demonstrates a more mature model characterized by strong inter-agency coordination, whereas Ho Chi Minh City exhibits an emerging but fragmented structure. Based on these findings, the article proposes an implementation-oriented framework for Resolution 80-NQ/TW aiming to enhance network coordination and support the sustainable development of creative spaces adapted to the Vietnamese urban context.

Resolution 80-NQ/TW, creative spaces, urban networks, Shanghai City, Ho Chi Minh City

1. British Council. (2018). Mapping Vietnam’s creative hubs. https://www.britishcouncil.vn/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. British Council. (2021). Cultural and creative hubs in Viet Nam (2018–2021). https://www.britishcouncil.vn/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bullen, P. A., & Love, P. E. (2011). Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. Structural Survey, 29(5), 411–421. https://doi.org/10.1108/02630801111182439 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. China Daily. (2022, May 24). New one-stop service for film and television companies launched in Shanghai. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Chu, J., & Kagawa, T. (2009). A study on spatial difference of the creative industrial zones in Shanghai. Human Geography, 2, 23-28. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Florida, R. (2019). The rise of the creative class. Basic Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Gao, et al. (2025). Digital creative industries in the Yangtze River Delta: Spatial diffusion and response to regional development strategy. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Sustainability, 17(16), 7437. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1716743 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Government News. (2026, March 20). Ho Chi Minh City develops cultural industries into a spearhead economic sector [TP.HCM xây dựng ngành công nghiệp văn hóa trở thành ngành kinh tế mũi nhọn]. Bao Chinh Phu. https://baochinhphu.vn/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council. (2023). Resolution No. 09/2023/NQ-HĐND on regulations for interest rate support for investment projects prioritized for socio-economic development [Nghị quyết số 09/2023/NQ-HĐND về quy định hỗ trợ lãi suất đối với các dự án đầu tư ưu tiên phát triển kinh tế - xã hội]. https://taichinhketoan.medinet.gov.vn/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Keane, M. (2013). Creative industries in China: Art, design and media. John Wiley & Sons. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Landry, C. (2012). The creative city: A toolkit for urban innovators. Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. O’Connor, J., & Gu, X. (2013). Developing a creative cluster in a postindustrial city: CIDS and Manchester. In Creative industries and urban development (pp. 43–55). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Pham, J. (2026, March 24). Ho Chi Minh City moves from vibrant streets to a global festival stage. RMIT University Vietnam. https://www.rmit.edu.vn/news/all-news/2026/mar/ho-chi-minh-city-moves-from-vibrant-streets-to-a-global-festival-stage?utm. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Porter, M. E. (1998). Clusters and the new economics of competition. Harvard Business Review, 76(6), 77–90. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Pratt, A. C. (2008). Creative cities: The cultural industries and the creative class. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, 90(2), 107–117. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. RMIT University Vietnam. (2025, October 15). MSEs and their growing role in Vietnam’s creative economy. RMIT News. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Scott, A. J. (2000). The cultural economy of cities: Essays on the geography of image-producing industries. Sage Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Shanghai Creative Industry Association. (2022). Annual report on the development of Shanghai’s cultural and creative industries. SCIA Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Shanghai Basic Facts 2025. Shanghai People’s Publishing House. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. https://en.shio.gov.cn/TrueCMS/shxwbgs/upload/9432dca3-2e55-468c-93a5-3f99f66845cb.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. The Politburo. (2026). Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture [Nghị quyết số 80-NQ/TW về phát triển văn hóa Việt Nam]. https://xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Throsby, D. (2010). The economics of cultural policy. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Yue et al. (2021). Identifying urban vitality in metropolitan areas of developing countries from a comparative perspective: Ho Chi Minh City versus Shanghai. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Sustainable Cities and Society, 65, 102609. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102609. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Zheng, J. (2011). ‘Creative industry clusters’ and the ‘entrepreneurial city’ of Shanghai. Urban Studies, 48(16), 3561–3582. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding Cultural Identity Transformation in Contemporary African Societies: A Zambian Perspective