Rome (VNA) – Vietnamese representatives participated in a forum that was held in the northern Italian port city of Genoa on December 1–2 to spotlight emerging opportunities for supply chain development between Asia and Europe against the backdrop of shifting global geopolitics, the rise of new economies, and the impact of US tariffs.
The forum gathered senior Italian officials and diplomatic, financial, and business representatives from several Asian countries.
Addressing the event, Italian Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Edoardo Rixi underlined that Italy’s port system has demonstrated resilience through multiple crises. He called for building stable and long-term trade relationships with developing economies.
Genoa Mayor Silvia Salis highlighted efforts to strengthen ties with major export-driven economies such as China, India and Vietnam, with the aim of restoring the identity of Genoa, a gateway to Southern Europe, as an open, globally oriented, and entrepreneurial trading city. She affirmed that the city government will take a proactive role in advancing these linkages.
Speaking on behalf of the Embassy of Vietnam in Italy, Trade Counsellor Nguyen Thu Ha stressed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its Strategic Partnership with Italy and stands ready to expand cooperation in logistics, seaport, trade, and investment.
She noted that Vietnam is emerging as a major manufacturing and logistics hub in Southeast Asia, with strong growth prospects. Its GDP is forecast to exceed 505 billion USD this year, while total trade in 2024 reached 786 billion USD. Vietnam also presents extensive cooperation opportunities through its national logistics strategy 2025–2035 and a series of key infrastructure projects, including the North – South Expressway, Long Thanh International Airport, and new railway lines.
Ha emphasised that Genoa, with its special logistics zones and free-trade areas, has the potential to become a strategic transit point for Asian goods entering the European market.
The forum reaffirmed Vietnam’s increasingly significant role in economic cooperation between the European Union (EU) and members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), while strengthening Genoa’s position as a leading logistics hub in Europe./.
