ROME — National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn attended a policy dialogue on enhancing Việt Nam–Italy cooperation on Monday morning (local time), as part of his official visit to the European country. 

In her welcome remarks, Veronica Squinzi, Vice President for International Affairs of the Lombardy Business Association under the General Confederation of Italian Industry, emphasised that the official visit by NA Chairman Mẫn marks an important milestone in the strong relationship between the two countries. It provides an opportunity to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthening political dialogue and deepening economic and technological cooperation, based on shared values, mutual respect and a forward-looking vision.

Italy and Việt Nam have maintained diplomatic relations for more than 50 years and have enjoyed a Strategic Partnership for over a decade. Italy is one of Việt Nam’s key partners in Europe and bilateral ties have continued to strengthen following the entry into force of the EU–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). For Italy, Việt Nam serves as a gateway to the ASEAN market.

As Italy’s leading economic region, Lombardy is at the heart of the country’s industrial and technological system. Milan, its capital, is Italy’s premier financial and business hub and a gateway to the European market for international enterprises and investors. Lombardy is also Italy’s leading region in trade relations with Việt Nam. The launch of a direct flight between Hà Nội and Milan has further enhanced connectivity and created new opportunities for economic and investment cooperation.

Notably, she said many Italian companies operating in Việt Nam originate from Lombardy. These firms are active in strategic sectors such as mechanical engineering, industrial automation, infrastructure development, renewable energy, agriculture and advanced manufacturing.

They not only strengthen trade and investment ties but also facilitate technology transfer, management expertise, and professional standards. At the same time, Lombardy offers Vietnamese businesses and organisations an excellent entry point into Italy’s industrial and innovation ecosystem in Europe.

Raffaele Cattaneo, Undersecretary of the Lombardy Region, said that relations between Lombardy and Việt Nam go beyond a conventional trade partnership, representing a historically grounded and strategically significant connection. Since 2003, Lombardy has identified Việt Nam as a priority partner in ASEAN. The inauguration of the direct Milan–Hà Nội flight stands as clear evidence of successful cooperation, not only in boosting tourism but also serving as a vital bridge for trade, cultural exchange and narrowing geographical distance.

He noted that, with strong technological capacity and expertise, Lombardy sees significant development opportunities in Việt Nam, a country experiencing impressive GDP growth of over 8 per cent in 2025.

Lombardy-based enterprises are ready to support Vietnamese partners with high-tech expertise, particularly in mechanical manufacturing, green transition and the renewable economy for sustainable development, as well as in education, workforce training and the restoration of architectural and cultural heritage.

In the context of Việt Nam streamlining its administrative apparatus, Lombardy has expressed particular interest in establishing cooperative relations with several Vietnamese localities, Cattaneo said, voicing confidence that Chairman Mẫn’s visit will further strengthen Italy–Việt Nam cooperation, bringing practical benefits to businesses and people in both countries.

Speaking at the dialogue, NA Chairman Mẫn stressed that the policy dialogue on enhancing Việt Nam–Italy cooperation is of special significance as bilateral relations enter a new phase of deeper, more effective and more substantive development.

He affirmed that the dialogue is not only an important occasion for enterprises from both countries to meet and explore investment and trade opportunities but also a vivid symbol of over 50 years of traditional friendship and more than a decade of Strategic Partnership, nurtured by generations of leaders and people of both nations through trust, sharing and sincere goodwill.

According to the Vietnamese leader, Việt Nam is among the top 15 developing countries attracting the largest foreign direct investment (FDI), with cumulative registered FDI reaching about US$530 billion. In 2025, Việt Nam remained a stable and sustainable destination for international investment flows, with total registered capital exceeding $38.4 billion.

Total trade turnover between Việt Nam and its partners reached $930 billion last year, placing it among the world’s top 20 most open economies. Việt Nam has signed 17 free trade agreements with over 60 countries and territories, including major global markets.

Việt Nam is also striving for breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation to achieve two strategic goals: becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed, high-income country by 2045, he added.

According to the NA Chairman, Việt Nam and Italy share a longstanding friendship built on trust, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peace, development and prosperity. In recent years, their Strategic Partnership has been steadily strengthened and expanded across areas including economy, trade, investment, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.

Italy is among Việt Nam’s leading partners in Europe. Conversely, Việt Nam ranks as one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic economies in the Asia-Pacific, with an improving investment climate, a young workforce, a large market and deepening global integration, providing favourable conditions for the two sides to expand complementary cooperation.

To date, Italian investors have poured capital into 167 projects in Việt Nam, with total registered investment exceeding $633 million, ranking 31st out of 154 countries and territories investing in the country. Overall, while bilateral investment remains modest in scale, the potential for further cooperation is substantial.

On that basis, the leader urged both sides to translate cooperative intent into tangible outcomes, focusing on priority areas, including further refining institutional and legal frameworks to facilitate trade and investment, particularly as the EVFTA is being effectively implemented.

He also called for stronger cooperation in areas where Italy has strengths and Việt Nam has demand, such as manufacturing, high technology, green transition, renewable energy, infrastructure, supporting industries and food processing.

The chief legislator proposed enhancing business connectivity between the two countries, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to integrate more deeply into global value chains and stepping up cooperation in innovation and digital transformation.

He also underscored the role of the two legislatures in overseeing and refining mechanisms and policies, and in fostering a stable, transparent and conducive legal environment for long-term cooperation. — VNS