An overview of the forum (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Vietnamese and Australian businesses sought partnership opportunities in technology and trade during a forum jointly held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 16 by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Saigon Innovation Hub, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
The event, part of a programme to strengthen economic cooperation between the Vietnamese and Australian Governments, aimed to support the two business communities to cooperate in the transfer of solutions and technologies in the fields of clean energy, high-tech agriculture and digital transformation.
Australian Consul General in HCM City Sarah Hooper highlighted the significance of innovation, especially in clean energy, that will help Vietnam achieve the goals set at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
Australia is willing to invite Vietnamese firms to the country to explore new opportunities in clean energy as well as chances to collaborate with Australian partners in technology transfer, she stated, holding that the cooperation programmes will help strengthen bilateral relations and reinforce trade and investment partnerships between the two countries.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy thanked the Australian Government for supporting Vietnam in innovation, noting that many cooperation activities have been jointly conducted by the MoST and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Since 2018, the two sides have worked together in researching and announcing reports on Vietnam’s digital economy as well as evaluation of contributions from innovation to Vietnam’s socio-economic development, he said.
They have also reached a series of cooperation agreements to promote innovation and technology transfer, said the Deputy Minister, expressing his belief that businesses from both countries will continue to foster their connections, contributing to bolstering economic cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.
Citing a survey on the demands for technology renovation in Vietnam’s industrial sector, Prof. Eryk Dutkiewicz from the University of Technology Sydney said that the majority of enterprises in Vietnam have the demand to explore and access new technologies to increase their productivity and engage more deeply into global supply chains, providing products and services with higher economic value.
However, he said, the firms need further support during the process of accessing information and advanced technologies. The organisation of the forum was expected to enhance the capacity of technology application and transfer as well as provide professional consultancy to businesses from both sides, he added.
Prof. Ian Burnett from the university said that the forum reaffirmed Vietnam’s interest in Australia’s new technologies, innovation and investment. The UST Joint Technology and Innovation Research Centre in Vietnam, the first of its kind between the two sides, is opening up cooperation potential and opportunities for both Australian and Vietnamese partners, he stated.
Participants at the event introduced a number of technologies and solutions in different fields, including trade, climate change response, healthcare, and the application of blockchain technology in agricultural product traceability, as well as smart agricultural solutions./.