Chinese companies look to deepen green cooperation in Vietnam

At a forum in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, business associations representing Chinese, Taiwanese, and Hong Kong companies in Vietnam discussed ways to deepen high-quality cooperation under the theme 'Choosing Vietnam - Building the Future Together.'

Yang Wen Bin, acting chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Vietnam, said Chinese companies are shifting from opportunity-seeking to pursuing long-term development in Vietnam, with growing interest in green industries, energy, and finance.

Room for greater China-Vietnam green cooperation

Yang said global manufacturing trends are pushing companies to cut costs and improve efficiency through digital transformation, greener production, and closer integration across industrial supply chains, backed by stronger financial and professional services.

He said China and Vietnam have complementary industrial strengths and are closely connected through supply chains, creating opportunities to pool resources, use Vietnam as a base for connecting with ASEAN markets and expand into global markets.

Trieu Cam Quang, chairman of the Association of Hong Kong Enterprises in Vietnam, echoed the view, saying renewable energy, electric vehicles, and the circular economy are emerging as new drivers of green growth.

“If digital transformation determines how fast we can move, green growth determines how far we can go,” he said, adding that the shift toward greener growth could spur innovation, create new industries, and generate jobs.

Vietnam has become an important link in regional supply chains, while Hong Kong businesses bring strengths in finance, trade, logistics, and professional services. 

Mainland Chinese companies, meanwhile, have advantages in technology, manufacturing, and market access.

Bringing these strengths together could create new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam, he said.

AI, clean energy go hand in hand

With its growing role in global manufacturing, Vietnam is seeing new opportunities for cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and green energy.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper, Benjamin Chiao, a representative of the Shenzhen Artificial Intelligence Industry Association, said AI will play an increasingly important role in automating production as businesses face pressure to move faster and meet new standards.

As Vietnam becomes an important manufacturing base and supplier to markets such as the U.S. and Europe, Chiao said the country should step up the use of AI across product design, manufacturing, testing, and marketing.

He said Chinese companies could work with Vietnamese partners to develop factories, employ local workers, build local supply chains, and tap the domestic market while serving customers around the world.

Wu Di, a representative of PowerChina Vietnam, said Vietnam also needs to strengthen its industrial service capabilities across the entire value chain, rather than simply expanding its supply of green energy. 

PowerChina Vietnam is a branch of PowerChina, the China Power Construction Corporation.

Investors, he said, need not only ample power but also electricity that is stable, reliable, affordable, and generated from renewable sources.

“Having a sufficient supply of affordable and stable green power is how Vietnam can achieve its goals while supporting growth across the entire industrial chain,” Wu said.