Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy participated in the Torino–ASEAN (ToAsean) Programme in Turin - an industrial and innovation hub of northern Italy, and hosted the Vietnam–Italy Technology Connectivity Seminar in Pianezza - a centre for Italy’s supporting industries and innovation activities.
The events on May 28 - 29 attracted strong interest from enterprises and business associations across Piemonte, providing an open platform for discussions on cooperation trends between Italy and Southeast Asian countries. The events also reflected growing interest among Italian enterprises in the Vietnamese market.
Addressing the gatherings, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Phuong Anh highlighted the high level of political trust and the increasingly substantive and multifaceted relationship between Vietnam and Italy, which is creating favourable conditions for stronger business connectivity and more effective economic cooperation.
The ambassador noted that Vietnam is striving to become a regional hub for high-tech industries, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and sustainable industrial ecosystems. In this context, the country places great importance on cooperation with Italian businesses and organisations, given the highly complementary strengths of the two nations.
Italy possesses world-class capabilities in industry, technology and design, while Vietnam boasts advantages in market access, manufacturing dynamism and its role as a gateway to ASEAN and the broader Asia-Pacific region, she said.
Information on Vietnam’s development orientations in high-tech industries, green transition and innovation, together with updates on its economic growth, position in regional supply chains and extensive network of new-generation free trade agreements, drew particular attention from Italian participants.
Representatives of many businesses in Turin and the Piemonte region said that Vietnam has been emerging as one of Asia’s most dynamic markets and a promising gateway for Italian companies seeking to expand their presence in Southeast Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
They also expressed their desire for more direct connections with Vietnamese localities, partners and business associations, particularly in precision engineering, supporting industries, automation, design, green technologies and high-quality workforce training.
Piemonte and Turin have long been among Italy’s leading centres of industry and innovation, with strengths in automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering, aerospace, materials technology, design and innovation. As European businesses seek new growth markets and diversify supply chains, many companies in the region view Vietnam as a highly promising and complementary partner./.
