Vladivostok, September 3, 2026 – The Europe Today: Vietnam has proposed five key areas for strengthening economic cooperation between ASEAN and Russia, focusing on supply chains, transport and logistics, science and technology, green growth, and finance and people-to-people exchanges.
The proposals were presented by Vietnamese Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan at the Russia-ASEAN Business Dialogue held in Vladivostok as part of the 11th Eastern Economic Forum. The event brought together Sergey Katyrin, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with government officials and business representatives from Russia and ASEAN member states.
Tuan highlighted Vladivostok’s strategic role as a gateway linking Russia with the Asia-Pacific region, including Viet Nam, noting that 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations.
He said the ASEAN-Russia Comprehensive Plan of Action for 2026-2030, adopted at the recent ASEAN-Russia Summit in Kazan, provides an important foundation for further deepening the strategic partnership.
Trade between Russia and ASEAN has increased by nearly 58 percent over the past decade, reaching approximately US$21 billion in 2025. While describing the growth as encouraging, Tuan stressed that considerable potential remains untapped and called for greater efforts to translate cooperation commitments into concrete projects, stronger trade and investment flows and measurable results.
The Vietnamese minister said Viet Nam is entering a new phase of development, targeting annual economic growth of at least 10 percent during 2026-2030 and aspiring to become a developed, high-income country by 2045.
He highlighted Viet Nam’s focus on science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, high-quality human resources and private-sector development, alongside major investments in strategic infrastructure and continued improvements to the investment and business environment.
With an economy valued at approximately US$514 billion and total goods trade exceeding US$930 billion in 2025, Viet Nam is becoming increasingly integrated into regional production and supply chains, he said.
Tuan underlined Viet Nam’s special position in ASEAN-Russia relations. Bilateral trade between Viet Nam and Russia reached approximately US$4.77 billion in 2025, accounting for around one-quarter of total Russia-ASEAN trade. Viet Nam was also the first ASEAN member to sign a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
Against this backdrop, Tuan outlined five major areas for enhanced cooperation.
First, he called for the development of new supply chains and stronger trade and investment connectivity. Russia’s strengths in energy, raw materials, agriculture, industry, science and technology could complement ASEAN’s large consumer market, young workforce and dynamic production networks. Viet Nam, he said, is prepared to serve as a bridge and encourage Russian investment in processing and manufacturing, high technology, energy, logistics and high-tech agriculture.
Second, he proposed a breakthrough in transport and logistics cooperation. This would include strengthening maritime connectivity between Vladivostok and Russia’s Far East and Viet Nam and Southeast Asia, while linking these routes with Eurasian railway networks and transport corridors. He also proposed studying the establishment of a Far East-Viet Nam-ASEAN logistics corridor connecting seaports, cold-storage facilities, distribution centres and production chains.
Third, Tuan identified science and technology, digital transformation and artificial intelligence as potential new drivers of cooperation. He encouraged joint programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, financial technology, digital healthcare and education, data centres and smart manufacturing, with emphasis on joint research, technology transfer, human-resource development and commercialisation.
Fourth, he called for expanded cooperation in energy, green growth and sustainable development. With energy demand continuing to rise across ASEAN and increasing pressure to reduce emissions, Viet Nam sees opportunities for cooperation in clean and renewable energy, offshore wind power, modern electricity infrastructure, the green economy and circular economy, drawing on Russia’s energy resources and technological capabilities.
Fifth, he proposed broader cooperation in finance, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. Viet Nam is developing free-trade zones connected with seaports, logistics, industrial facilities and services, as well as international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. These developments, he said, could create new opportunities for Russian financial institutions and investors.
He also called for stronger air connectivity and expanded cooperation in tourism, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges. Viet Nam welcomed nearly 21.2 million international visitors in 2025, providing a strong foundation for expanding tourism links between Russia, Viet Nam and ASEAN.
Looking towards 2030, Tuan expressed hope that ASEAN-Russia relations would become more substantive, balanced and diversified, supported by stronger trade, new supply chains, investment projects and logistics corridors, as well as expanded cooperation in the digital economy, finance and clean energy.
He stressed that the key priority is to translate the ASEAN-Russia Plan of Action for 2026-2030 into concrete projects involving clearly identified partners and measurable outcomes.
Tuan reaffirmed that Vietnam regards Russia as an important partner and ASEAN as a strategic space for cooperation, expressing the country’s readiness to further strengthen its role as an economic bridge between Russia and ASEAN, as well as between the Eurasian Economic Union and Southeast Asia.
