HCM City seeks to boost multifaceted cooperation with Czech Republic
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc on November 19 met with President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Milos Vystrcil, who is on an official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.
Duoc noted Vystrcil’s selection of HCM City as the first stop of his visit reflects the city’s role, potential, and economic–diplomatic position. He expressed belief that the visit will help strengthen the traditional friendship, provide a strong impetus for Vietnam–Czech relations, and promote cooperation between the Czech Republic and the southern largest city in the time to come.
Highlighting the special significance of the visit, which coincides with the 75th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1950–2025), Duoc stated this is a good chance for both sides to create new milestones in their cooperation.
Suring Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to the Czech Republic in January this year, the two PMs agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, opening a framework for comprehensive, intensive and extensive cooperation in key sectors such as economy and trade, defense - security, clean energy, science and technology, along with education and training, he said.
The host noted that the Czech Republic’s strengths in high technology, mechanical engineering, green energy - environment, healthcare, education and training, and hi-tech agriculture align closely with the city’s development strategy, particularly its goals to build a hi-tech industry, promote semiconductor and electronics clusters, advance robotics, and upgrade the production value chain, according to VNA.
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| Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc (R) and President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Milos Vystrcil. (Photo: VNA) |
Cooperation with Czech enterprises in machinery manufacturing, automation, and industrial equipment will help HCM City accelerate production modernisation, enhance competitiveness, and attract high-quality investment to industrial and high-tech zones, he said, adding that there is large room for the two sides to expand cooperation in research and academic exchanges in terms of sustainable energy.
HCM City hopes to become a reliable destination for Czech businesses, and it stands ready to provide the best possible conditions for Czech enterprises and investors to explore, invest, and cooperate in areas of mutual interest, Duoc said.
For his part, Vystrcil said the bilateral relationship over the last 75 years has been a long journey of close cooperation built on trust and commonalities in the struggle for independence and freedom, as well as the shared aspiration for security and prosperity.
He affirmed that HCM City is one of Vietnam’s most dynamic and prosperous localities, therefore, many Czech businesses are eager to explore opportunities for investment and trade cooperation, and boost import–export activities based on the traditional ties between the two countries.
Vystrcil suggested that businesses strengthen cooperation and mutual support, particularly in information technology and artificial intelligence (AI). He said Czech enterprises are interested in expanding exports to Vietnam and seeking investment opportunities in energy, technology, and the automotive industry.
According to the Senate President, the Czech Republic will speed up the reopening of its Consulate General in HCM City, and the Czech Embassy will increase activities to promote products and services to attract Vietnamese businesses, step up economic cooperation, and deepen the bilateral relations.
In the afternoon of the same day, Vystrcil visited Ton Duc Thang University in HCM City and talked with its students.
Vietnam makes three proposals at COP30
Vietnam proposed that developed countries fully fulfill their financial commitments, taking the lead in mobilizing at least US$300 billion annually and moving toward a roadmap of US$1.3 trillion per year to support developing countries, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh.
Le announced the proposals while delivering a statement at the High-Level Segment of the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) on November 18 (local time) in Brazil.
COP30 is taking place in a context where humanity is facing increasingly extreme and unpredictable climate change, causing severe and dangerous impacts, VGP reported.
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| Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh. |
The head of the Vietnamese delegation at COP30 emphasized that "to realize the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, we need unity in both perception and action; we must uphold multilateralism and strongly reinforce solidarity and cooperation among all nations and peoples, based on the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities'."
With this spirit, Vietnam put forward several key proposals as follows:
First, developed countries, with their financial, scientific, and technological capacities, must fully meet their responsibilities and make stronger commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Second, developed countries must fully deliver on their financial commitments, taking the lead in mobilizing at least US$300 billion annually and moving toward a roadmap of US$1.3 trillion per year to support developing countries. Specifically, it is essential to urgently rebalance financial resources for adaptation and mitigation, while significantly increasing grants and concessional loans. Funding for adaptation should account for at least 50 percent of total climate finance provided to developing countries.
Third, it is necessary to urgently scale up and fully implement the "Early Warnings for All" (EW4All) initiative to protect people's lives and property from increasingly severe climate-related disasters.
Vietnam consistently pursues sustainable development, harmonizing economic growth with environmental protection and climate action. The country continues to refine its institutions and policies, gradually creating a coherent and comprehensive legal framework for adaptation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and a just energy transition, with new and breakthrough mechanisms aimed at promoting green transformation and carbon-neutral development.
The role of the UN must be further strengthened in establishing and enhancing an effective global governance system and in promoting cooperation among nations to address non-traditional security challenges, including climate change.
As one of the developing countries most heavily affected by global climate change, Vietnam has been seriously fulfilling its international commitments on adaptation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, the Deputy Minister said.
Vietnam remains committed to sustainable development, balancing economic growth, environmental protection, and climate response. The country continues to strengthen its institutions and policies, gradually building a coherent and synchronized legal framework for adaptation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and a just energy transition with new, breakthrough mechanisms to foster green transformation and carbon-neutral development.
Vietnamese business forum held in Australia
A forum of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Australia took place in Melbourne on November 19, highlighting investment, trade, and intellectual cooperation
Co-organized by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Embassy, and Trade Office in Australia, the forum demonstrated the Vietnamese Government’s and MoIT’s attention to the overseas Vietnamese (OV) business community there – one of the largest of its kind, while providing updates on economic developments, business opportunities, and policies encouraging the group to invest and do business in the homeland.
Data presented by the ministry offered OV enterprises useful insights, reflecting Vietnam’s deepening economic integration and positive results across industrial production, energy, and trade.
The discussion session heard 10 presentations from Vietnamese businesspeople in Australia, highlighting their role in connecting domestic and overseas communities and contributing to Vietnam’s development. Their comments not only reflected practical business experience in the Australian market but also expressed aspirations and policy recommendations to enhance their role and strengthen linkages with domestic peers.
Opening the forum, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien noted that over the past five years, OV entrepreneurs in Australia have invested more than 1.8 billion USD in Vietnam and brought hundreds of Vietnamese products into major Australian supermarket chains, while also transferring technology and introducing to Vietnam modern management models, ERP solutions, blockchain-based traceability systems, and clean food processing technologies.
The minister stressed that mobilizing the resources of OV, especially intellectuals and entrepreneurs, is an essential task for the 2025 – 2030 period and beyond, cited VNA.
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| Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien speaks at the forum of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Australia, in Melbourne on November 19. (Photo: VNA) |
He called on Vietnamese representative agencies in Australia to listen closely to the views of the OV community, particularly businesspeople, and help strengthen connections between them and enterprises at home. He also encouraged Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Australia to provide regular input on socio-economic development, science and technology, innovation, green transition, digital transformation, circular economy, and the knowledge economy. He also asked the group to continue to play a pioneering role in investment and investment attraction in Vietnam, especially in high-tech sectors, clean energy, manufacturing, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.
Ambassador Pham Hung Tam said Vietnamese businesses in Australia not only participate directly in trade and investment cooperation but also serve as bridges between enterprises and localities of the two countries. They have also taken the lead in social and humanitarian activities, regularly organising fundraising drives to support people in Vietnam affected by natural disasters, contributing to activities for the homeland’s sea and islands, and assisting Vietnamese students and community members in Australia.
Speaking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents on the sidelines of the forum, Tran Ba Phuc, President of the Vietnamese Business Association in Australia, said an increasing number of OV entrepreneurs in Australia are seeking investment opportunities in Vietnam. He welcomed Resolution 68-NQ/TW, which was issued by the Politburo on May 4 this year and identified the private sector as a key driver of the national economy, noting that overseas entrepreneurs are encouraged by the Vietnamese Government’s new policies.
Meanwhile, Do Van Long, founder and CEO of Australia Blockchain, which has a decade of experience in Vietnam, shared that his company plans to connect investors and professional import-export firms in both countries to help integrate technology into quality control during bilateral trade processes. He expressed hope that both the Vietnamese and Australian governments will adopt supportive policies for newly established Vietnamese tech enterprises in Australia.
Vienna forum seeks to develop finance, high technology in Da Nang
Da Nang City, in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria, held a business roundtable in Vienna on November 17 to seek Austrian expertise and experience in developing its International Financial Center and high technology.
The event attracted representatives from Austria’s Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, the Austrian Economic Development Agency, the OPEC Fund, and nearly 30 leading technology, finance, and banking companies.
In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang emphasized that Austria’s experience in technological self-reliance, innovation, and financial center development could support Da Nang in building international finance and high-tech hubs.
The government of Austria is increasingly focusing on the Asian market, viewing Vietnam as a gateway to the Southeast Asian market. Building on its advanced manufacturing industry, Austria is investing in and promoting cooperation and business development in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, information technology, quantum technology, life sciences, and neuroscience.
Austria is a key technological link within the German-speaking technology ecosystem, which includes Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as across Europe. It serves as an effective model of collaboration between the government, research institutes, universities, businesses, and start-ups, most of which are small and medium-sized enterprises or family-owned businesses.
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| Da Nang expects to get Austrian expertise and experience in developing its International Financial Center and high technology sector through the Vienna business roundtable on November 17. |
The Austrian finance and banking sector is large relative to GDP, with an extensive international partner network and strengths in insurance, asset management, innovative finance, fintech, and digital assets, operating under high market supervision standards, reported VOV.
Meanwhile, Da Nang leaders, including Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee Ngo Xuan Thang and Permanent Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh, affirmed that finance and technology are strategic pillars to promote sustainable growth in the city.
Under the Resolution 222/2025 approved by the National Assembly, Da Nang is creating special institutional frameworks to develop an International Financial Center, focusing on green finance, fintech, digital assets, cross-border financial services, linked with seaports, logistics, and international tourism. For high technology, the city aims to upgrade infrastructure, expand innovation spaces, and attract investment in chips, robotics, electronic components, AI, and technology start-ups.
Austrian business representatives expressed strong interest in Da Nang’s potential and strategies, raising questions and suggestions regarding investment policies, energy, infrastructure, education, and environmental protection.
The Austrian government and trade promotion agencies pledged to support businesses in exploring the market, expanding connections, and pursuing cooperation opportunities in Da Nang.
The business roundtable highlighted Da Nang’s commitment to attracting international investment and leveraging European expertise and technology to develop the city into a leading financial and high-tech hub in Vietnam.
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