On September 4, 2025, the Vietnam - Italy Business Forum took place. The event was organized by the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam in coordination with the Italian Trade Promotion Agency (ITA) and the Italian National Industrial Confederation (Confindustria).
At the forum, Deputy Minister of Finance Ho Sy Hung affirmed that the Vietnam - Italy relationship has so far converged on 4 similarities, effectively complementing each other. They are trustworthy partners; have a complementary and mutually supportive economy; have warm and sincere feelings; share a strong aspiration for peace.
According to Deputy Minister Ho Sy Hung, Italy is currently Vietnam's third largest trading partner in the EU Union. In the first 7 months of 2025, two-way trade turnover reached more than 4.3 billion USD, up 5.1% over the same period in 2024. Vietnam's export turnover to Italy reached 3.1 billion USD, up 4.5% over the same period in 2024. In terms of import turnover, it reached 1.2 billion USD, up 6.7% over the same period in 2024.
Regarding investment cooperation, Italian investors currently have 162 projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of more than 624 million USD, ranking 32nd out of 151 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. In contrast, Vietnam has invested in 1 project in Italy with a total investment capital of nearly 700,000 USD.
Deputy Minister Ho Sy Hung emphasized that there is still a lot of room and potential for economic - trade - investment cooperation between Vietnam and Italy for continued development. Vietnam hopes that Italian businesses, with their experience, resources and reputation, will support Vietnam in accessing shifting investment sources, green, sustainable financial sources and investment sources for science, technology and innovation.
With a selective policy of cooperation, attracting foreign investment, aiming at quality, efficiency, technology and environmental protection, Vietnam prioritizes attracting investment projects in sectors and fields such as: Green economy, digital economy, circular economy, knowledge economy; science and technology, innovation; new energy, renewable energy; development of international financial centers, green finance; agriculture, high-tech industry; Trade, Tourism, ...
"At the Forum, we will have the opportunity to connect and share cooperation experiences in 4 potential areas: Mechanical machinery and agricultural technology; Energy transition and circular economy; Infrastructure and transportation; High technology and innovation. These will be key areas with great potential to help create a breakthrough in investment cooperation between the two countries in the coming time, worthy of the special and increasingly developing relationship between the two countries" - Deputy Minister Ho Sy Hung said.
Deputy Minister Ho Sy Hung suggested that Italian investors continue to support and create conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply and substantially in global supply chains. Proposing Italy to have a voice for countries in the EU Union to soon ratify the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). This is an important basis for businesses of the two countries to strengthen cooperation, exploiting two major markets with great potential, ASEAN and the EU.
"We propose that businesses of the two countries increase understanding and expand cooperation in new areas such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy and energy transition. In particular, to realize the policy of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, Vietnam wishes to learn from experience and cooperate with Italy in developing renewable energy and a green economy.
Propose that Italy strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in a number of areas that play a new growth driver such as financial centers and free trade zones" - Deputy Minister Ho Sy Hung suggested.
Within the framework of the Forum, more than 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) were signed, including key areas such as: Innovation and Industry 4.0, energy and infrastructure, financial - insurance cooperation, trade promotion and tourism. These are important documents, opening up new directions for cooperation, contributing to creating a foundation for businesses of the two countries to implement specific projects in the coming time.
