Vietnam, RoK Shift Towards Strategic High-Tech, Innovation Partnerships

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man urged the Republic of Korea (RoK) to encourage Korean companies to expand investment in Vietnam in priority areas, including infrastructure, semiconductors, large-scale AI data centres, energy, and seaports. He also called for the creation of favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to engage more deeply in the RoK’s manufacturing supply chains. The visit to the Republic of Korea by National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man and his spouse, together with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, takes place at a time when Vietnam–Republic of Korea relations are developing strongly, underpinned by an increasingly solid political foundation. The two nations are shifting towards strategic high-tech and innovation partnerships. The K-Med Expo, organised annually since 2023 by KINTEX and the Korea Medical Devices Industry Association, attracts around 300 Korean medical device companies each year. For this year’s consultation conference, KOTRA invited about 100 buyers, including Vietnamese hospitals and medical equipment distributors, to meet with 71 Korean exhibitors. Economically, Vietnam's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rose 11.9% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2026, the highest growth rate for the period in many years. This provides an important foundation for the country to strive for its double-digit growth target. Investment in electronics and semiconductors continued to concentrate in northern localities, which have developed relatively complete manufacturing ecosystems encompassing industrial infrastructure, technical labour and supplier networks, according to John Campbell, Director and Head of Industrial Services at Savills Vietnam. Foreign investors carried out 1,815 capital contribution and share purchase transactions in Vietnam in the first seven months of 2026, with total capital exceeding 6.5 billion USD. While the number of transactions fell 8.4% year-on-year, their value rose 61.6%. Vietnam has about 1.2 million hectares of fruit-growing areas, producing around 13 million tonnes a year. Its fruits are exported to more than 60 countries, including major markets such as the US, the EU, Japan, the Republic of Korea and China. The country is also among the world’s leading exporters of rice, cashew nuts, pepper and coffee, with its products reaching more than 150 countries, including markets with stringent standards. With abundant agricultural resources, localities across Vietnam have favourable conditions to expand markets through e-commerce. However, according to the Vietnam Coffee Cocoa Association (Vicofa), Vietnam exported nearly 1.7 million tonnes of coffee in the first eight months, earning more than 6 billion USD. Export volume rose by over 10% year on year, while export value fell by 11.2% due to lower export prices. Vietnam wishes to continue playing an active and proactive role in UNCITRAL in general and Working Group III in particular, by hosting the 10th UNCITRAL Working Group III intersessional meeting, working alongside the international community to strengthen cooperation, share experience and contribute to the development of the international legal framework. Myanmar calls for Vietnam's cooperation in digital infrastructure development, cybersecurity, digital transformation, public services, information technology, and digital payment systems, as well as in fostering an innovation-driven business environment. In Ho Chi Minh City, digital transformation in the legal profession is not simply about introducing more technology into professional practice. It must also create ways of working that ensure technology serves people, while lawyers retain control and responsibility for the quality of legal services. This is particularly important in a metropolis with a large-scale economy and diverse legal needs. Information source: VietnamPlus English