Russia urges Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa to prioritize AI cooperation

During talks with Secretary of the Khanh Hoa Party Committee Nghiem Xuan Thanh, First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly Andrey Vladimirovich Yatskin, who is on a working visit to Vietnam, proposed making AI a core pillar of the bilateral cooperation agenda.

The meeting was held as part of activities marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Russia.

Yatskin said Russian AI specialists are highly regarded in many countries, adding that closer collaboration in the field could generate long-term strategic momentum for ties between Khanh Hoa and its Russian partners.

He noted that such cooperation could be closely linked to education and training, given Khanh Hoa’s extensive network of universities and colleges, including institutions specializing in maritime studies.

He added that Russia is always willing to provide scholarships for Vietnamese students in high-tech fields, including AI, engineering, and innovation.

Yatskin said that following the integration of Ninh Thuan into Khanh Hoa, the province has expanded significantly in both scale and development capacity, creating greater room for cooperation in technology-driven sectors.

He added that cooperation in nuclear energy has already been discussed between the Russian side and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.

For his part, Thanh said that after the integration, the province now has the longest coastline in Vietnam and has become one of the country’s major growth poles.

He said that beyond traditional sectors such as seafood and textile exports, Khanh Hoa is seeking to expand cooperation in high-value, high-technology industries, including AI and clean energy.

Tourism remains a key area of cooperation, as Khanh Hoa continues to attract large numbers of Russian visitors, with additional direct flights connecting Russia to the province.

In this context, Yatskin said he hopes that by the end of 2025, Khanh Hoa could welcome around 500,000 Russian tourists, contributing to stronger cultural exchanges and deeper mutual understanding between the two sides.

Although bilateral trade between Khanh Hoa and Russia remains modest, Thanh said there is strong potential for growth in the coming period.

He expressed hope that Russia would step up cooperation with the province in energy development, digital technologies, tourism, and services.

Regarding human resources for nuclear energy and advanced technologies, Thanh said Khanh Hoa has a growing demand and called on Russia to increase support in training specialists in these fields.