General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President of Viet Nam To Lam (Photo: VNA)

General Secretary and President To Lam to visit Denmark, EU, Belgium

The visits will be made at the invitation of King of Denmark Frederik X and his Queen, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and Prime Minister of Belgium Bart De Wever.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President of Viet Nam To Lam, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation are scheduled to pay a state visit to Denmark and official visits to the European Union and Belgium from October 19 to 24, cited VNA.

The visits will be made at the invitation of King of Denmark Frederik X and his Queen, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and Prime Minister of Belgium Bart De Wever, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Viet Nam, Australia work to turn momentum into substantive cooperation

The Australia-Viet Nam Policy Institute (AVPI) held its 2026 annual conference in Sydney, New South Wales, on October 15, gathering government, business and academic representatives from both countries to discuss ways to make Viet Nam-Australia cooperation deeper, more substantive and more sustainable.

The conference was held as the Viet Nam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership gained fresh momentum following the August 2026 visit to Australia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam, while Viet Nam was preparing to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2027.

The conference featured several discussion sessions on issues shaping Viet Nam-Australia relations, ranging from diplomacy, trade and investment to digital transformation, human resource development, regional cooperation and Vietnam’s role as host of APEC 2027. The discussions centered on one overarching question: how to turn the current favorable political and strategic foundations into concrete cooperation programs that deliver practical benefits to businesses and people in both countries.

In her opening remarks, AVPI Advisory Board Chair Dr. Le Thu Huong said the time was right for Australia to take a more active role in Vietnam’s development and economic reform. She noted that Viet Nam was stepping up domestic reforms, improving its investment environment, developing an International Financial Centre and preparing for APEC 2027. These steps are creating more opportunities for Australian investors and businesses to explore new areas of cooperation.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the conference, Dr. Le Thu Huong said that amid intensifying competition to attract investment, further simplifying administrative procedures, facilitating business operations and advancing reforms across industries and sectors would help Viet Nam become more attractive to international investors.

On foreign affairs, she said expanding the network of partners was becoming increasingly important amid global economic and geopolitical uncertainty. “Countries need reliable friends and partners they can count on in difficult times,” she stressed.

According to her, Viet Nam and Australia now share many common interests in trade, technology, digital transformation, education, human resource development, clean energy and climate change response. The question is how to capitalize on the current favorable momentum to turn that potential into more concrete cooperation outcomes.

This was also one of the key messages at the conference. RMIT University President Peggy O’Neal, who was recently appointed by the Australian federal government as its new Business Champion for Viet Nam, said relations between the two countries had been built over decades through education, migration, trade and investment, and were being further strengthened under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. However, she noted that bilateral trade and investment had yet to tap their full potential, according to VOV.

The V-bridge platform connecting Australian and Vietnamese enterprises is officially launched. (Ilustrative Photo: VNA)

She stated that Australian businesses needed to better understand the opportunities emerging in Viet Nam, while Vietnamese businesses should also see Australia as more than just a market, but as a partner in capital, education, technology and expertise. O’Neal stressed the need to move from goodwill to concrete pathways, strengthen connections and continue removing barriers facing the business community.

In her role as the Australian Government’s new Business Champion for Viet Nam, O’Neal identified three priorities: promoting two-way investment, bolstering cooperation related to APEC 2027, and making better use of people-to-people ties between the two countries. She pointed out that Viet Nam had significant needs for capital, skills, technology, infrastructure and expertise in energy transition, while Australia had considerable strengths that matched these needs.

From the perspective of state government, Anoulack Chanthivong, New South Wales (NSW) Minister for Industry and Trade, said Viet Nam was becoming an increasingly important partner for Australia as a whole and NSW in particular. Thevisit to Australia by General Secretary and State President To Lam had given fresh impetus to bilateral relations and opened up new opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, education, science and technology, and innovation, he added.

One issue that drew particular attention from participants was how to turn high-level commitments into specific programs and projects. Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam Gillian Bird said To Lam’s visit to Australia was an important milestone, particularly with the issuance of three joint statements on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, strengthening economic resilience, and augmenting cooperation in science, technology and innovation. She said economic resilience did not mean closing off the economy, but should be built on open trade, diversified partnerships and the use of free trade agreements to which both Viet Nam and Australia are parties.

From the Vietnamese side, Consul General of Viet Nam in Sydney Nguyen Thanh Tung said diplomatic missions helped connect businesses, universities, research institutes and local partners, thereby turning cooperation frameworks into practical results. He recommended continued priority for trade and investment diversification, energy and the green transition, science and technology, and human resource development.

Looking ahead to 2027, Vietnam’s hosting of APEC was also seen as a new opportunity to advance Viet Nam-Australia cooperation. Craig Emerson, President of the Australian APEC Study Centre, said that as the global trading system faced numerous challenges, APEC continued to play an important role in promoting open trade and regional economic cooperation. He noted that Viet Nam and Australia could use APEC 2027 to advance specific cooperation initiatives rather than stop at policy statements.

At the conference, participants also stressed that digital transformation, skills development, secure data flows and support for small and medium-sized enterprises would require greater attention in future cooperation. However, alongside policy and market opportunities, trust was still seen as key. Businesses seeking to build long-term relationships needed to take time to understand their partners, adapt to cultural differences and remain committed to long-term investment strategies.

Dr. Le Thu Huong said AVPI would continue to serve as a bridge between policymakers, businesses, academics and social organizations in the two countries, broadening dialogue and enhancing new connections for cooperation.

With activities in Melbourne and Hanoi and a network of more than 40 knowledge partners, AVPI hopes to help turn opportunities in Viet Nam-Australia relations into more concrete and practical cooperation programs.

Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas to pay official visit to Viet Nam

Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from October 17 to 19 at the invitation of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and expand economic cooperation.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the two countries to review their cooperation and explore measures to tap their economic potential, particularly in areas where Liechtenstein has strengths and which align with Viet Nam's development priorities.

The upcoming visit by Prime Minister Brigitte Haas is expected to inject fresh impetus into bilateral relations, strengthen mutual understanding and advance cooperation in areas of shared interest, contributing to the effective utilization of the two countries' economic potential.

Viet Nam and Liechtenstein established diplomatic relations on July 2, 2008, with economic, trade, and investment cooperation emerging as key pillar of bilateral ties.

On July 2, 2026, Viet Nam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), established by Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, announced the conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement.

The trade deal will be signed soon, opening up additional opportunities for trade and investment, improve market access and deepen economic ties between Viet Nam and EFTA member states, reported VGP.

Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas.

Viet Nam and Liechtenstein have launched negotiations on an agreement on double taxation avoidance to provide greater tax certainty for businesses and facilitate cross-border investment. The first round of negotiations took place in December 2025.

Trade between Viet Nam and Liechtenstein reached US$9.8 million in 2025. Liechtenstein ranks 86th among 153 foreign investors in Viet Nam, with one investment project in the southern city of Dong Nai.

Vietnamese role highlighted at ICIT 2026 in RoK

Viet Nam demonstrated an active and central role in international academic connectivity at the 5th International Conference on Intelligence of Things (ICIT 2026), which opened on October 15 at Sejong University in Seoul, Republic of Korea (RoK).

The academic forum, co-hosted by Hanoi University of Mining and Geology (HUMG) and Sejong University, featured the participation of professors, researchers, and experts worldwide.

Beyond co-hosting, major Vietnamese universities and diplomatic representatives moderated key sessions and contributed numerous high-quality research papers.

Focusing on the Intelligence of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), smart connected systems, and cybersecurity, ICIT 2026 promotes technological innovation toward comprehensive digital transformation and sustainable development.

This year's conference recorded an active and core role for Viet Nam in international academic connectivity. Beyond co-hosting, HUMG alongside diplomatic representatives and major Vietnamese higher education institutions, including Viet Nam National University Hanoi, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, FPT University, and Ton Duc Thang University, moderated sessions and contributed a large number of quality research projects.

The presence of the representative office of the Ministry of Science and Technology in the RoK, along with close coordination with local and international scientific and educational institutions, affirmed the rising standing of Viet Nam's scientific community in technology research while strengthening strategic partnership ties between Viet Nam, the RoK, and the international scientific research community, cited VOV.

Overview of the 5th International Conference on Intelligence of Things. (Photo: VNA)

In opening remarks, Prof. Moon Hyeon Joon from Sejong University and Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Truong, Chairman of the HUMG University Council, both laid stress on the importance of interdisciplinary and international research cooperation to resolve modern technological challenges.

Meanwhile, Prof. Nguyen Xuan Mung from Sejong University shared in-depth research on enhancing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) resilience within the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) ecosystem, offering fault-tolerant flight control and post-disaster damage evaluation solutions based on computer vision technology.

Alongside the plenary session, discussions took place across hybrid in-person and online panels. Scientists exchanged views on practical AI and Internet of Things (IoT) applications: from financial forecasting solutions and small satellite control optimization to edge cybersecurity, IoT data security, and the application of LiDAR technology and UAVs in construction planning and structural inspection.

Topical subjects also captured great interest, including lightweight deep learning models for crop disease identification in smart agriculture, a Vietnamese voice command understanding system for smart apartments (ViSafeHome-NLU), AI/GeoAI algorithms for forest monitoring, X-ray and retinal medical diagnostics, and Zero-Day cyberattack detection solutions.

ICIT 2026 opens opportunities for joint research, academic exchange, and practical project implementation among institutes, universities, and enterprises in the coming time.

Earlier on October 14, a delegation of professors and representatives from Vietnamese universities attending ICIT 2026, led by Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Truong, held a working session with Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vu Ho.

Ambassador Vu Ho highly appreciated the forum initiative, regarding it as a practical activity promoting scientific, technological, and educational cooperation between Viet Nam and the RoK while expanding connections between Vietnamese scientists and the international research community.

The Ambassador stressed that as science, technology, and innovation increasingly serve as important drivers for socio-economic development, strengthening research cooperation, expert exchanges, and knowledge sharing holds practical importance in enhancing Viet Nam's scientific and technological capacity, VNA reported.

Tourists enjoy Russia’s golden autumn. (Photo: VNA)

Ambassador Vu Ho also encouraged Vietnamese higher education institutions and scientists to continue exercising an active role in international research networks, boosting cooperation with RoK universities, research institutes, and enterprises toward joint research programs tied to practical needs.

The Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK affirmed it will continue to accompany and support academic connectivity activities, contributing to educational, scientific, and technological cooperation between the two nations.

Viet Nam's active participation and co-hosting role at ICIT 2026 not only elevates the standing of domestic research institutions but also opens prospects for deeper cooperation between the Vietnamese scientific community, the RoK, and international partners.

Viet Nam welcomes Russia’s visa-free policy for Vietnamese citizens

Viet Nam welcomes Russia’s decision to waive visa requirements for Vietnamese ordinary passport holders from October 15, 2026, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular press briefing on October 15.

The move follows a joint statement issued during the state visit to Russia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam, his spouse and a high-level Vietnamese delegation, which outlined measures to further deepen the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new phase.

The statement highlighted both sides' efforts to expand labour cooperation, enhance tourism links through increasing regular and charter flights, simplify entry and exit procedures for Vietnamese citizens traveling to Russia, and work towards visa-free travel for ordinary passport holders.

In this context, Viet Nam welcomes Russia’s visa exemption policy under Decree No. 730, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 12, Hang said.

Regarding Vietnam’s pilot visa exemption scheme for Chinese tour groups visiting Khanh Hoa province, she said there have been many developments regarding immigration procedures and visa exemptions between Viet Nam and other countries recently. The Vietnamese Government issued Resolution No. 325/NQ-CP on October 12, granting visa-free entry to eligible Chinese ordinary passport holders during the Vietnam–China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026–2027.

The policy is effective from October 12, 2026, to December 31, 2027. It applies to Chinese citizens holding valid ordinary passports, excluding those holding Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Region passports, traveling in groups of at least two under package tours organised by Viet Nam's international travel companies.

The scheme is restricted to Khanh Hoa province. Tourists must enter and leave Viet Nam through Cam Ranh International Airport on direct flights from mainland China, using the same border gate for both entry and departure.

Hang said the pilot scheme is a concrete step to implement the important common perceptions reached by the senior leaders of the two Parties and countries, including the launch of the Vietnam–China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026–2027, during General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to China in April 2026.

The policy is intended to further facilitate travel by Chinese tourists to Viet Nam, and boost people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation, thereby helping strengthen the social foundation of bilateral ties and bring practical benefits to the people of both countries.

Like other pilot policies, Vietnamese authorities will monitor and assess the implementation and results of this pilot scheme to inform any adjustments in line with practical conditions, the Spokesperson added.

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