The Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney and the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia on May 9 organized the Vietnam-Australia Investment Cooperation Forum in Sydney, gathering 100 companies from both countries, including 39 Vietnamese enterprises from the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Mechanical – Electrical Enterprises (HAMEE) and organizations, investment funds from Australia such as EY Cermo, the Macquarie Industrial Park and Ryde Chamber of Commerce.

In his opening remarks, Consul General Nguyen Thanh Tung emphasized the close ties between Vietnam and Australia, grounded in shared values of innovation, dynamism, and sustainable development. He stated that over recent years, the bilateral relationship between the two countries has made remarkable progress. Vietnam, with its rapidly growing economy and improving business environment, has become an attractive destination for international investors, including those from Australia.

Tung called on businesses from both countries to continue enhancing connections, share information, and ramp up cooperation in areas such as digital transformation, green energy, and sustainable infrastructure development.

Nguyen Phu Hoa, head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia, mentioned that the Vietnamese Government is focusing on investments in high-tech sectors like Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and big infrastructure projects, presenting major opportunities for Australian investors. He also pledged to further support businesses from the two countries through advisory services and trade promotion programs.

At the forum, Vietnamese enterprises presented their strengths and capabilities while exploring cooperation opportunities with Australian counterparts. Delegates from Australia expressed interest in collaborating on projects in Vietnam and introducing Australian mining technology and construction materials to the Vietnamese market.

Australian businesses also showed interest in Vietnam's high-quality products, including electronics, construction materials, and steel.

Notably, Tony Abboud, Chairman of the Macquarie Industrial Park and Ryde Chamber of Commerce, highly praised the quality of Vietnamese goods, particularly in the fields of electronics and construction materials, believing that these products could meet Australia's high standards. He said he hopes the forum will help businesses from both countries find opportunities to cooperate and develop together.

Also at the forum, Michael Figg from Cerno Group expressed interest in cooperation opportunities in the construction sector, particularly as Australia faces challenges with raw material costs. He suggested that cooperation between Australia and Vietnam will be beneficial for both countries, and he hoped for more trade activities in the future.

This forum not only created opportunities for economic cooperation for businesses but also played an important role in reinforcing the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Australia, opening up further trade and investment opportunities between the two nations in the near future.

More Vietnamese products expected to enter Australian market

The Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia is actively negotiating with Australian agencies to introduce new Vietnamese products into this market, the office has said.