Washington D.C. (VNA) – A high-level executive leadership forum focusing on strengthening Vietnam - US relations through technology cooperation was jointly held in Washington D.C. on March 11 by the Embassy of Vietnam in the US, the Weatherhead East Asian Institute of Columbia University, and the US -ASEAN Business Council (USABC).
The event drew the attendance of more than 100 participants, including senior policymakers from the US Department of State, the US Department of Commerce, Vietnamese government agencies, as well as leaders of major technology corporations and financial institutions.
Opening the forum, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung highlighted that relations between Vietnam and the US are entering their most substantive and in-depth phase, with technology serving as an important pillar of cooperation.
The ambassador highlighted that Vietnam and the US are highly complementary. Vietnam offers a dynamic economy, a young and increasingly skilled workforce and rapidly growing innovation ecosystem, while the US offers frontier technologies, world class research institutions, capital and leading global companies.
He held that the two sides can strengthen trusted technology ecosystems, contributing to more secure and resilient supply chains and creating new opportunities for innovators in both countries.
Vietnam is committed to building an open legal framework and prioritising high value-added technology projects, positioning itself as a reliable and indispensable link in US global supply chains, the diplomat stated.
Discussions underscored the complementary strengths of the two economies as a key driver of technological collaboration. While the US leads globally in core technologies, innovation and capital, Vietnam offers dynamism, rapid adaptability and a large young STEM workforce. Vietnam is seen as a promising partner for research and development (R&D) and high-tech manufacturing by US enterprises in priority sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cloud computing, robotics, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. The Vietnamese Government reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a favourable business environment to translate these advantages into concrete projects.
The forum also noted a significant shift as technology flows increasingly in both directions. Vietnamese innovations, particularly in drone technology and AI software, have begun entering the US market, demonstrating Vietnam’s growing role not only as a manufacturing base but also as a source of technological innovation and value creation within global supply chains.
Participants agreed to prioritise cooperation in digital infrastructure and energy, including the development of green data centres and energy reforms to ensure stable power supply for strategic technology industries such as semiconductors and AI.
On financing, institutions including the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) pledged continued support for strategic infrastructure projects in Vietnam.
Through panel discussions, businesses and experts delivered key recommendations to Vietnam aimed at sustaining growth momentum and attracting investment, focusing on regulatory reform, private-sector promotion, workforce development, and maintaining policy flexibility and optimism.
The forum’s success reflected the shared determination of both countries to usher bilateral relations into a new phase, grounded in friendship, cooperation and joint efforts to shape the technological future of the 21st century./.
VNA
