Rome (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has called for intensified economic diplomacy to further strengthen Vietnam–Italy trade and investment ties, urging Italy to support the swift ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by remaining EU member states.
During a meeting in Rome on March 19 with Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso, Dung commended Italy’s efforts in driving industrial development, business support and innovation to enhance national competitiveness.
He underscored Vietnam’s push to reform its growth model, accelerate institutional improvements and prioritise science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as core engines of growth, aimed at sustaining rapid expansion and achieving long-term development goals.
Dung encouraged Italian businesses to scale up investment in Vietnam, particularly in high-potential sectors such as manufacturing, high technology, industrial infrastructure, innovation and clean energy.
He also called for closer trade cooperation and more effective utilisation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), alongside deeper knowledge-sharing in manufacturing, supporting industries and smart production, including the development of supplier support initiatives to help Vietnamese firms integrate further into Italian value chains.
Highlighting the importance of innovation, he urged stronger linkages among innovation centres, research institutions, universities and startup ecosystems, as well as expanded collaboration in R&D, intellectual property and technology transfer, initially focusing on Vietnam’s strategic technology sectors.
Urso expressed strong backing for Vietnam’s proposals to make Italy a gateway for Vietnamese exports to Europe and welcoming greater Vietnamese investment in Italy, noting the confidence of Italian firms in Vietnam’s business environment.
Both sides agreed to accelerate plans to sign new cooperation agreements across a range of emerging sectors.
Earlier, Dung met with Stefano Pontecorvo, Chairman of Leonardo, one of Europe’s leading aerospace and defence groups. He welcomed the firm’s memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s National Innovation Centre as a foundation for future cooperation.
The Deputy PM called on Leonardo to deepen its footprint in Vietnam through increased investment, participation in high-tech industries and the potential establishment of an R&D centre at the Hoa Lac-based innovation hub. He also encouraged the group to connect its global partners with Vietnam, support workforce development and help local firms enhance technological capabilities and integrate into global supply chains.
The Vietnamese Government, he affirmed, stands ready to facilitate long-term, effective and sustainable cooperation with Italian partners, including Leonardo.
Pontecorvo said Vietnam’s orientations align closely with Leonardo’s development vision, particularly its shift towards high-quality, innovation-driven investment.
During the visit, Dung also met staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, calling for stronger engagement across all levels to further expand bilateral trade and investment. He urged the embassy to continue acting as a bridge between the Party and State and the Vietnamese community, while mobilising overseas resources and addressing community concerns./.
