Vietnam receives a rare visit from Austria: Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is from Sunday with a large business delegation in the Southeast Asian country. The talks would include economic relations and the war in Ukraine.
Schallenberg is expected in the capital Hanoi on Sunday afternoon (local time). Meetings are scheduled for Monday with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Planning Minister Nguyen Chi Dung. On Tuesday, Schallenberg will meet Minister of Industry and Commerce Nguyen Hong Dien. He is accompanied by a large business delegation led by Chamber of Commerce Vice President Philipp Gady.
In total, representatives from 21 companies will be taking part. Gady highlighted the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2020 and is expected to remove virtually all trade barriers by the end of the decade. With a bilateral trade volume of EUR 1.6 billion, Vietnam is already Austria’s largest economic partner in the region. 60 companies from Austria have a branch in the country. Part of the visit is an entrepreneurial forum with entrepreneurs and government representatives.
Austrian cable cars in Vietnam
Austria and Vietnam complement each other economically, said Ambassador Nguyen Trung Kien. Vietnamese agricultural production can be modernized with Austrian machinery, while Austrian cable cars have helped open up the country to tourism. Nguyen was also “very impressed” with the Austrian internship training. In this regard, he pointed out that German is now the second most important foreign language in Vietnam.
Leading up to his trip, Schallenberg spoke of a “strategic move from Austria to the Asia-Pacific region”. In addition to economic subjects, it is assumed that the war in Ukraine will also be discussed. Vietnam is among the group of countries that have abstained from UN resolutions condemning Russian aggression. Due to its history, the country is interested in good relations with all major powers. This includes both Russia and the US.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
