This event marks a significant milestone in strengthening the connections and contributions of the Vietnamese intellectual community in these two European countries.

The launch event was part of a roundtable between Vietnamese financial experts in Luxembourg and a Vietnamese Government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh with an aim to promote cooperation in building, operating, and developing financial centres in Vietnam.

Addressing the event, Dr. Phung Quoc Tri, a scientist from Belgium’s Nuclear Research Centre and Chairman of ViLaB, highlighted the association's mission to connect intellectuals and promote sustainable development, aiming to realise the anticipated potential for cooperation between Vietnam and the European Union.

He said that ViLaB has outlined three core strategic goals – serving as platform for information exchange on science and technology, innovation, education, economy, and culture among its members; fostering cooperation in scientific research and technology transfer, providing mutual support in applying innovations in practice and business; and strengthening scientific and technological collaboration between Vietnam, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Europe as a whole.

The association's activities will focus on four key pillars - digital transformation and high technology; renewable energy, nuclear energy, and green technology; health care and biotechnology; and education, support for international integration and business development.

Currently, ViLaB has attracted over 150 members, including experts and intellectuals based in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc underlined the significance of the establishment of ViLaB, describing it as an essential foundation for fostering cooperation in finance and entrepreneurship. She acknowledged the valuable contributions of Vietnamese financial experts, highlighting that their practical experience plays a crucial role in helping Vietnam develop its innovation networks and financial markets amidst global integration.

Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao praised the contributions of Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in Luxembourg. He expressed confidence that these ideas and initiatives will play a vital role in the future development of Vietnam's financial centres. The ambassador also emphasised that the intellectual network in Belgium and Luxembourg is a crucial bridge for expanding cooperation not only between these two countries but also with the wider European region.

The leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) also acknowledged that the insights from Vietnamese experts in Luxembourg are not only practical but also highly applicable.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh stressed that Vietnam is preparing for a new era of development. It is projected that by 2026, the economy will grow at a minimum rate of 10% per year. By 2045, the centennial anniversary of Vietnam’s founding, the country aims to become a developed nation with an average income per capita of US$17,000, three times the current figure.

Binh highlighted the vital role of the Vietnamese intellectual diaspora in this vision. He proposed a strategy for training financial professionals, including sending them to Luxembourg for study, to contribute to the development of key financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

Top leader meets with overseas Vietnamese intellectuals in Singapore

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam met with overseas Vietnamese intellectuals in Singapore on March 11 to discuss and listen to petitions and suggestions for development policies, as part of their official visit to the city-state.