Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called on Prof. Thomas Vallely, Senior Advisor for Vietnam at the Columbia University’s Southeast Asia Institute (USA) and his colleagues to continue with policy consultations to help Vietnam reach its 8% economic growth target in 2025 and achieve double-digit growth in the following years.
In a reception in Hanoi on March 15 for Vallely, PM Chinh congratulated Vallely on receiving the US Presidential Citizens Medal bestowed by President Joe Biden, praising his role in fostering the bilateral ties, especially in education and policy dialogue.
PM Chinh thanked Vallely and Prof. Nguyen Thi Lien Hang at the Columbia University for sustaining the Vietnam Executive Leadership Programme (VELP) despite the US's funding cuts, and encouraged more US universities to partner with Vietnamese counterparts, including opening campuses in Vietnam.
Vietnam always wants to strengthen cooperation with the US, he said, stressing that the Vietnam - US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is opening door for broader collaboration, ranging from economy, trade, investment to education and training.
The government leader affirmed that Vietnam has taken proactive measures to address US concerns, including trade imbalance through discussions with the US Ambassador and businesses to ensure a stable, sustainable and mutually beneficial partnership.
He asked for Vallely’s recommendations to revitalise traditional growth drivers, foster new growth engines, advance sci-tech, digital transformation and innovation, and support the development of the private sector.
The host also proposed the professor to give advice on securing financial resources, transferring technology, training talents, improving governance, and refining institutional frameworks for Vietnam.
Vallely, for his part, acknowledged Vietnam’s commitment to sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation as the bedrock for future growth, as demonstrated by the Politburo’s Resolution 57 issued on December 22, 2024. He highlighted Vietnam’s strategic focus on green energy, nuclear power, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor development.
He also pledged support from the Columbia University and himself to offer strategic policy consultations to Vietnam, expecting to sustain the VELP and establish an internal dialogue on shared concerns, including sci-tech, innovation, private economy, and Vietnam-US relations./.
