Deputy PM Nguyen Hoa Binh attends forum promoting Vietnam–US financial and technological cooperation
WVR - On March 27 (local time), in San Francisco, USA, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh attended and spoke at the Vietnam-US Financial and Technology Forum, met with the Oregon delegation, the California State Treasurer, and worked with a number of businesses interested in investing in Vietnam.
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| Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh speaking at the Vietnam-US Financial and Technology Forum. (Source: VGP) |
With the theme “Technology and the Future of Global Finance”, the forum attracted over 50 US businesses in fields such as digital finance, blockchain and AI, crypto, startup ecosystem development, biotechnology, and data infrastructure...
Speaking at the forum, the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister shared Vietnam's strategic directions in the new era of development, including the establishment of a modern, transparent International Financial Center (IFC) deeply connected with the global financial system. The “One Center - Two Destinations” IFC model forms a comprehensive financial ecosystem, with Ho Chi Minh City as a traditional capital market hub, while Da Nang focuses on fintech, digital assets, and innovation. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the IFC in Vietnam offers a favorable investment-business environment, applies exceptional incentive policies, creates institutional breakthroughs, ensures transparency, and protects the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors.
The forum assessed that Vietnam is entering a crucial transition phase from potential to reality, marking a breakthrough growth period similar to previous developments in countries like China and South Korea. Strong reforms in organizational structure, institutional improvement, and innovation promotion are seen as very positive signals for international investors, especially in the financial-technology sector.
Businesses noted that Vietnam's greatest advantage is its high-quality workforce, skilled in technical thinking and entrepreneurship. Many proposed specific cooperation directions in fintech, blockchain, and digital assets development through groundbreaking legal frameworks such as recognizing “AI Agents” and policy testing sandboxes. Delegates also emphasized the development of an innovation ecosystem and attracting high-quality international talent, including pioneering models like “Pop-up City” to gather capital flows and new technology ideas as recently implemented worldwide.
During the meeting with the Oregon delegation led by Senator Mark Meek, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh shared two main objectives of the mission. First, to promote bilateral relations and effectively implement the agreements reached by both sides; second, to inform, exchange, and invite US financial corporations and businesses to invest and participate in the newly established IFC in Vietnam.
Accompanying Senator Mark Meek to greet the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister were 15 representatives from specialized agencies, universities, and businesses in technology, venture capital, innovation, agriculture, and seaports from Oregon.
The delegation assessed Vietnam as a natural partner with complementary strengths, especially in high-tech, clean energy, agriculture, and logistics; emphasizing the long-established and maintained cooperation between Oregon and Vietnam, with frequent exchanges at various levels, as well as the active role of the Vietnamese community in Oregon in strengthening connections between the two sides.
Recognizing Vietnam's strong growth demand in technology and digital infrastructure, which are Oregon's strengths, the Oregon delegation made several proposals to promote cooperation in the near future. In high-tech and semiconductors, technology engineer training, Oregon expressed readiness to accompany Vietnam in realizing the goal of training 50,000 engineers by 2030.
Both sides also agreed to connect Vietnam's innovation ecosystem with Oregon's “silicon forest”. In agriculture and food, port infrastructure connection, the delegation proposed solutions to boost exports of Oregon's strong products, especially blueberries, and aimed to establish a direct multimodal transport route connecting with Portland port, while promoting clean energy transition.
Recognizing the recommendations of Senator Mark Meek and the Oregon delegation, the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister expressed gratitude for their time in San Francisco and their many specific cooperation proposals, showing interest and valuing cooperation with Vietnam. On the foundation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister affirmed readiness to welcome and invite Oregon's businesses, financial institutions, and banks to invest in Vietnam's IFC.
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| Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh meets with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. (Source: VGP) |
In discussions with the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma expressed her impression of her visit to Vietnam over a year ago, particularly the friendly people, high work ethic, and open business environment, evaluating Vietnam as an important partner for California, where the large, successful Vietnamese community plays an increasingly significant role in political-economic life. She introduced California's GDP of approximately $4 trillion, its strengths in developing technology ecosystems, finance, green energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure; and its high diversity (40 million people, 250 languages), openness, and readiness for international cooperation.
Treasurer Fiona Ma also shared practical experiences from managing California's massive pension funds and issuing government bonds, suggesting methods to help Vietnam diversify green capital mobilization. With California's strengths and Vietnam's needs, the delegation and Fiona Ma proposed focusing on economic-trade cooperation, business connections, education, infrastructure, and green energy, as well as people-to-people exchanges. In technology, tourism and hospitality, high-value agriculture, California suggested establishing an “Agro-tourism” model and proposed applying artificial intelligence (AI) in management to optimize processes.
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| Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh meets with Ms. Hong Fang, President of OKX. (Source: VGP) |
In a meeting with businesses, Ms. Hong Fang, President of OKX, introduced the company as a digital financial technology platform operating in many major economies. OKX positions itself at the intersection of multiple fields including blockchain technology, artificial intelligence (AI), new financial infrastructure, risk management, and compliance.
OKX considers Vietnam a dynamic market with a young population, high technological capability, especially prominent in engineering teams, tech personnel, and a spirit of innovation; highly appreciating the role of the Vietnamese Government in policy dialogue and openness to international experience. With high confidence and expectations for the Vietnamese market, Ms. Hong Fang expressed a desire to become part of the tech-financial ecosystem in Vietnam; proposed continued policy exchanges, sharing multinational experiences in building a sandbox framework for digital assets and sustainable digital currency infrastructure; and expressed a wish to expand cooperation, leveraging Vietnam's high-quality tech workforce and committing to bringing international compliance standards to make VIFC a safe and transparent destination for capital flows.
Mr. Beau Perry, Founder and CEO of Blue Evolution, shared that the company's main areas of activity are regenerative agriculture, aquaculture, and sustainable development. The company particularly focuses on the seaweed industry, biotechnology, and chemistry from seaweed. He noted that in the context of global agriculture facing many climate change challenges, there is a need to focus on transitioning to sustainable agriculture. Blue Evolution expressed a desire to cooperate with Vietnam in developing sustainable agriculture, especially in developing the seaweed value chain.
The Permanent Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated the ideas, cooperation proposals, and investment interest in Vietnam from both OKX and Blue Evolution, affirming that these are areas where Vietnam has demand and welcomes businesses to operate in Vietnam, including investment in the IFC.
On the afternoon of March 27, the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister visited and worked with staff of the Vietnamese Consulate General in San Francisco; expressing high appreciation for the Consulate General's contributions in promoting bilateral relations, local cooperation, and effectively implementing technology diplomacy.
On March 28, the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister departed San Francisco, successfully concluding the working visit to the United States, further deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, opening up many opportunities for investment cooperation in the IFC.
