Vietnam-Western Australia Business Forum: Unveiling new cooperation opportunities in the Era of Comprehensive strategic partnership
WVR - On March 12, 2026, at the Ibis Hotel, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Perth, in collaboration with the Western Australia-Vietnam Business Council (WAVBC), successfully organized the "Vietnam-Western Australia: Opportunities in Trade and Investment" Business Forum. The event attracted a large number of representatives from state authorities, diplomatic agencies, trade promotion organizations, businesses, and investors from both countries.
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| View of the Forum. |
The event took place as Vietnam-Australia relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, paving the way for deeper cooperation in trade, investment, energy transition, innovation, and business connectivity.
In her opening remarks, Consul General of Vietnam in Perth Nguyen Thanh Ha emphasized that Western Australia, with its strengths in energy, strategic minerals, agriculture, education, and technology, is a vital partner for Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is emerging as one of the most dynamic economies in the Asia-Pacific region, with a market size of over 100 million people, a young workforce, and an extensive network of free trade agreements.
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| Consul General of Vietnam in Perth Nguyen Thanh Ha speaking at the event. |
In a detailed presentation, Tran Thi Thanh My, Deputy Consul General of Vietnam in Sydney and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia, provided an overview of Vietnam's economy. She affirmed that Vietnam is not only a potential consumer market but also a production hub and a crucial link in the global supply chain.
According to Thanh My, Vietnam has maintained high and stable economic growth for many consecutive years, attracting significant foreign investment due to an increasingly improved business environment and deep integration policies. Participation in new-generation free trade agreements such as CPTPP, RCEP, and EVFTA enables businesses operating in Vietnam to access major global markets with preferential tariffs.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, Thanh My particularly highlighted several potential areas of collaboration between Vietnam and Western Australia, including energy and minerals, high-tech manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, education and training, logistics, and the digital economy.
She affirmed that the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia is ready to accompany and support businesses from both countries in connecting partners, providing market information, and resolving difficulties in the investment and business process.
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| Deputy Consul General of Vietnam in Sydney and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia Tran Thi Thanh My presenting an overview of Vietnam's economy. |
Representing Western Australia, Robyn Robb, Executive Director of the Global Network, Department of Energy and Economic Diversification of Western Australia, affirmed that Vietnam is a strategic partner for the state in its market expansion and supply chain diversification strategy.
Arnold Jorge, CEO of the Australian Export Council, suggested that the two countries should further promote bilateral trade by leveraging potential areas of cooperation such as resources, building materials, green technology, artificial intelligence, and premium food.
He emphasized that Vietnam is increasingly becoming a production base and supply center for many Australian brands.
At the Forum, Chairman of InnoLab Asia Huynh Cong Thang stated that Vietnam is transforming from a manufacturing destination into a rapidly developing innovation ecosystem in the region.
According to Thang, with a population of over 100 million, a young workforce, and more than 50,000 IT engineers graduating annually, Vietnam is becoming a favorable environment to test and deploy new technology solutions before expanding across the ASEAN region.
The startup ecosystem in Vietnam has seen significant development in recent years, with thousands of tech startups operating in areas such as fintech, artificial intelligence, logistics, and e-commerce, attracting participation from many international investment funds and large corporations.
Through ecosystem connectivity initiatives like the Vietnam Innovation Summit (VIS), which gathers thousands of entrepreneurs, startups, investors, and tech experts annually, cross-border technology cooperation and investment opportunities are increasingly expanding.
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| The event attracted numerous representatives from state authorities, diplomatic agencies, trade promotion organizations, businesses, and investors from both countries. |
"Vietnam is not just a production site but is becoming an environment to deploy and validate technology solutions before expanding to ASEAN," Thang noted, adding that innovation cooperation between businesses, research institutes, and startups will be a crucial direction to boost economic and technological relations between Vietnam and Western Australia in the future.
On this occasion, a representative from Vietnam Airlines updated information on plans to expand direct flights between Vietnam and Australia, including potential direct connections to major cities, to facilitate trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Le Minh Duc, Vice President of the Western Australia-Vietnam Business Council (WAVBC), provided information on trade promotion activities, business connectivity, and a market survey delegation to Vietnam planned for 2026, inviting interested businesses to register to enhance cooperation and investment opportunities between the two sides.
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| Vietnamese delegates attending the event. |
The Forum not only provided strategic analysis and updates on the investment environment but also created opportunities for direct connections between businesses from both sides. Many bilateral exchanges took place on the sidelines of the event, opening up prospects for cooperation in energy, manufacturing, education, and technology.
Reaffirming long-term commitment, Consul General Nguyen Thanh Ha emphasized that the Consulate General of Vietnam in Perth will continue to play a bridging role, supporting businesses from both countries to enhance cooperation, contributing to the development of Vietnam-Western Australia economic relations in line with the stature of the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
With an open and action-oriented spirit, the Vietnam-Western Australia Business Forum 2026 left a positive mark, contributing to the promotion of bilateral trade and investment cooperation in the new development phase.
(Source: Consulate General of Vietnam in Perth)
