Vietnam seeks US technology, resources to meet development needs

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived in New York on Monday morning to attend the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and bilateral activities.

During his working trip, the top Vietnamese leader met Thomas R. Hardy, acting director of USTDA, on Monday (local time), according to Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnam: An important USTDA partner

State President To Lam spoke highly of USTDA's role in promoting economic, trade, and investment ties between Vietnam and the U.S., particularly through project preparation, feasibility studies, technical assistance, and connecting U.S. businesses with infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

Vietnam attaches importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with the U.S. and wants economic, trade, investment, and science and technology cooperation to remain an important driver of substantive, effective, and sustainable bilateral ties.

USTDA's long-standing cooperation with Vietnam in energy, power grids, aviation, smart cities, and digital infrastructure has helped the country gain access to U.S. technology, management expertise, and advanced solutions, Party General Secretary To Lam said.

Vietnam is entering a new development phase with major demand for strategic infrastructure, energy, transportation, logistics, digital transformation, and high-tech development.

These are areas in which the U.S. has strengths and USTDA has relevant experience and support tools, he added.

Hardy spoke highly of Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements and bilateral ties.

He said USTDA considers Vietnam an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region and values the results of cooperation with Vietnamese agencies and businesses over the years.

USTDA wants to continue supporting Vietnam in preparing and developing high-quality projects that meet the country's development priorities while creating opportunities for U.S. technology, equipment, services, and businesses to expand their participation in the Vietnamese market.

The agency is ready to use tools including feasibility studies, technical assistance, pilot projects, and trade-linkage programs to support projects from the preparation stage until they are ready to attract funding and move into implementation, Hardy added.

Focus on strategic projects

State President To Lam asked USTDA to strengthen coordination with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and businesses to select strategic projects with broad impacts for focused support.

Priority should be given first to projects involving energy and power grids, digital infrastructure and data centers, aviation, seaports, logistics, and modern transportation.

USTDA should help open the way from the project preparation stage, allowing Vietnam to gain earlier access to U.S. standards, technology, management expertise, and resources.

He also called on USTDA to pay greater attention to emerging areas with high technology content and added value, including artificial intelligence (AI), secure digital infrastructure, smart grids, energy security, and solutions supporting the green transition.

The agency should also strengthen connections between leading U.S. technology, finance and infrastructure companies and Vietnamese partners, he said.

Hardy agreed with the proposed cooperation priorities, saying USTDA is ready to work closely with Vietnamese agencies to identify suitable projects and mobilize project-preparation support.

Vietnam's large infrastructure development needs and U.S. strengths in technology, management, and high-quality solutions would create new opportunities for cooperation.

USTDA will strengthen coordination with Vietnamese agencies and businesses, focusing on specific, feasible projects with broad impacts and connecting Vietnam's development needs with U.S. technology, resources, and businesses, Hardy said.