Hanoi (VNA) – As part of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam’s working visit to the US, Sun Group leaders attended a meeting with Boeing, opening up opportunities for strategic cooperation to strengthen Vietnam’s aviation capabilities, support sustainable development and promote Vietnam–US trade relations.
On September 21 (local time) in New York, General Secretary and President To Lam met with Boeing leaders. Representatives of Sun Group and major Vietnamese aviation companies, including Sun PhuQuoc Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet, attended the meeting.
The meeting took place as Vietnam steps up investment in aviation infrastructure, expands international connectivity and strengthens the capabilities of domestic airlines. It also provided an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses and Boeing to discuss priorities for long-term cooperation, helping to advance balanced, harmonious and sustainable trade relations between Vietnam and the US.
A key focus of the meeting was the aim of elevating cooperation between Vietnam and Boeing from aircraft procurement to the comprehensive development of capabilities across the aviation sector.
Accordingly, cooperation is intended not only to expand fleets, but also to increase domestic value added, develop supporting industries and progressively deepen Vietnam’s participation in the global aviation supply chain.
Building on this foundation, cooperation is envisaged to expand into developing Vietnam as a regional hub for aircraft technical services, maintenance and repair, with a long-term vision of gradually participating in aircraft manufacturing. This would be accompanied by long-term aviation workforce training programmes to meet the growing development needs of the aviation sector in Vietnam and the wider region.
Strengthening the operational capabilities of Vietnamese airlines was another area of interest, encompassing data management, flight safety and the application of digital technologies to forecasting, maintenance and operational optimisation. In particular, the direction of Vietnam–Boeing cooperation is also aligned with the goal of sustainable aviation development, balancing growth with emissions reduction in line with global industry trends.
With these priorities, cooperation between Vietnam and Boeing is expected to extend beyond aircraft purchase agreements towards a substantive, in-depth and sustainable partnership, while providing further momentum for economic and trade relations between Vietnam and the US.
For Sun Group, participation in the high-level meeting with Boeing holds particular significance as the group accelerates investment in aviation infrastructure and further develops its ecosystem integrating tourism, hospitality, entertainment and aviation.
Earlier, in February 2026, in the presence of General Secretary To Lam and senior leaders of both countries, Sun PhuQuoc Airways, the airline established and developed by Sun Group, signed an agreement to purchase 40 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner widebody aircraft, with a total estimated value of approximately 22.5 billion USD. The agreement not only laid the foundation for Sun PhuQuoc Airways’ widebody fleet development strategy, but also contributed to advancing bilateral economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and the US.
Alongside its fleet development strategy, Sun Group is implementing the Phu Quoc International Airport expansion project, covering a total area of 1,050 hectares and meeting the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Code 4E standards. The project is expected to increase capacity to 20–24 million passengers per year ahead of APEC 2027. It will enhance operational capacity and accommodate modern widebody aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, helping to expand international connectivity and gradually position Phu Quoc as a new regional tourism and aviation hub.
In addition, Sun Group is strengthening cooperation with international partners to explore investment in and development of aircraft hangars and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) complexes in Van Don, Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet, Con Dao, Rach Gia and other localities. Among these, the MRO complex at Van Don International Airport has a planned total investment of 360 million USD and is targeted to begin operations in 2028.
Through the coordinated development of airport infrastructure, aircraft fleets and aviation technical services, Sun Group seeks to work alongside international partners to help establish Vietnam as a new destination for the aircraft maintenance and repair industry in Asia, strengthening the country’s technical self-reliance and the position of Vietnamese aviation in the global value chain./.
