Perth (VNA) - Participants at the Vietnam-Western Australia Business Forum 2026 in Perth city on November 6 highlighted strong prospects for Vietnamese rice, agricultural produce and food products in the Australian market as local businesses seek to diversify supply chains.

Jointly organised by the Australia-Vietnam Talent Network (AVTN) and the Western Australia-Vietnam Business Council (WAVBC), the forum brought together not only local businesses and Vietnamese-owned enterprises overseas but also companies from Vietnam seeking business opportunities through the Global Trade Connection (GTC). It provided a platform for businesses from both countries to exchange market information, seek partners and explore concrete trade and investment opportunities.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Consul General in Perth Pham Hai Anh said the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is entering a new phase of more substantive and extensive development.

He highlighted the momentum generated by the state visit to Australia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam in August this year, as well as Western Australia Premier Roger Cook’s visit to Vietnam with a delegation of 32 businesses in September, saying that these demonstrated the state’s keen interest in the Vietnamese market, especially in energy, agriculture, food, education-training, and tourism.

Anh said the two sides have complementary strengths conducive to long-term economic cooperation, but businesses need to make better use of networking opportunities to translate potential into concrete investment and trade deals. He pledged that the Consulate General will continue supporting businesses, helping them overcome difficulties and access each other's markets.

Perth Mayor Bruce Reynolds described Vietnam as a promising market for Western Australia. He stressed that beyond trade figures, building trust, promoting direct business exchanges and nurturing long-term relationships are essential to success. He encouraged businesses to use the forum to better understand their partners' needs and pursue opportunities beyond the event.

Rebecca Ball, Economic Development Principal at City of Perth, also spotlighted cooperation potential in trade, education, tourism, aviation and creative industries, while recognising the Vietnamese community's role in fostering bilateral economic and cultural exchanges.

At the event, outstanding businesses such as Dai Dung Corp, MCQ Supermarket and Galati Group, which operates the Spudshed supermarket chain, shared their experience and explored opportunities to import more Vietnamese goods, and cooperate in mechanical engineering and construction.

The forum also explored opportunities to supply electrical cables and construction materials from Vietnam, as well as investment cooperation in developing international schools in Vietnam.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Le Minh Duc, Vice Chairman of WAVBC, praised the forum's practical focus on actual business needs rather than general cooperation orientations. He said WAVBC will continue working closely with businesses on both sides to maintain the momentum generated by the forum and gradually turn the identified opportunities into reality.

The forum also marked the opening of a series of events under Vietnamese Culture Day 2026, themed “Viet Nam in Full Colours” in Australia. Combining economic promotion with cultural exchanges is expected to further strengthen connections between Vietnamese businesses and people and Western Australia./.