Prague (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang has paid a two-day working visit to Vorarlberg, one of Austria’s most dynamic states, home to advanced technologies and an increasing number of businesses pursuing long-term investment in Vietnam.

During the September 29-30 visit, he met with President of the state Parliament Harald Sonderegger, President of the state Chamber of Commerce Karlheinz Kopf, and leaders of several Austrian businesses.

Hoang briefed his hosts on Vietnam’s socio-economic development, ongoing major reforms and the country’s development orientations towards 2045, with science and technology, innovation and high-quality human resources identified as key drivers.

He highlighted Vietnam’s political stability, extensive network of free trade agreements and deep economic integration as favourable conditions for Austrian businesses to expand investment and business operations and strengthen connections with regional markets.

Meeting with Harald Sonderegger, the ambassador discussed potential cooperation in economic development, education, vocational training – particularly nursing – and technology. Both sides noted that the trust built and successful cooperation models of Austrian businesses in Vietnam provide a solid foundation for expanding connections, especially in helping small- and medium-sized enterprises in Vorarlberg explore the Vietnamese market, production partners and supply sources.

At the meeting with the President of the state Chamber of Commerce, the two sides discussed vocational training aligned with businesses’ demand for skilled workers. Collaboration between training institutions and businesses was identified as a promising model to meet workforce needs and strengthen production linkages.

They also welcomed an investment promotion programme by Advantage Austria in Vietnam from October 6-9, focusing on railway infrastructure, smart transport, urban technology and maritime sectors in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong.

At Doppelmayr, a global leader in designing, manufacturing and installing cable-car systems for tourism, urban transport and cargo transportation, the Vietnamese diplomat met Managing Director Gerhard Gassner, who expressed his appreciation for Vietnam’s strong growth and market potential, describing the country as Doppelmayr’s largest market in Southeast Asia, and praised the capacity and professionalism of Vietnamese engineers. The group has successfully worked with Vietnamese partners, including Sun Group and Vingroup, on cable-car projects at major tourist destinations.

During the visit, Hoang also met with leaders of Künz, ÖBB Terminal Wolfurt and DREWES Logistics, which are operating successfully in Vietnam’s logistics sector. Their leaders spoke highly of the Vietnamese Government’s efforts to improve the investment environment and the quality of the country’s workforce, expressing optimism about the market’s potential and their commitment to long-term investment in Vietnam.

The visit contributed to strengthening local-level external relations, opening up markets and promoting investment links between Vietnam and Vorarlberg in particular and Austria in general, helping attract more high-quality and high-tech investment from Austrian businesses and further deepening bilateral relations ahead of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2027./.