South Australia seeks stronger ties with Ho Chi Minh City, eyes trade representative office

Minister Picton made the remarks during talks with deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City administration Hoang Nguyen Dinh as part of his working visit to the southern Vietnamese economic hub.

He noted that Vietnam, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, was selected as a priority destination in his first overseas working trip since taking office.

He said South Australia is considering establishing a trade representative office in the city in the near future to strengthen trade and investment ties with Ho Chi Minh City in particular and Vietnam in general.

The minister said South Australia is especially interested in expanding cooperation with the southern metropolis in international education, air connectivity between Australia and Vietnam, energy transition, and renewable energy.

He described the city as one of the region’s most dynamic urban centers, particularly in technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

For education, the minister said a growing number of Vietnamese students are studying in Australia, adding that South Australia hopes to further strengthen partnerships between universities on both sides not only in higher education but also in vocational training and workforce skills development.

He noted that South Australia is merging the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia into a larger education and research institution, a move expected to create broader opportunities for international cooperation.

In the field of renewable energy, he said South Australia is aiming to rely almost entirely on renewable energy in the coming years and hopes to strengthen cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City in its green transition and carbon emission reduction efforts.

For his part, deputy chairman Dinh said Vietnam–Australia relations have continued to strengthen, particularly after the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in March 2024.

Trade turnover between Ho Chi Minh City and Australia reached approximately US$1.3 billion in 2025.

Australia currently has 433 investment projects in Ho Chi Minh City with total registered capital of around $773 million.

The official said South Australia possesses strong cooperation potential that aligns well with Ho Chi Minh City’s development priorities, particularly in trade, investment, education and training, innovation, green economy, and sustainable development.

He added that the city hopes to strengthen business connectivity between the two sides in food production, agriculture, processing industries, high technology, and green transition.

Ho Chi Minh City also expects South Australia to continue supporting trade and investment promotion activities while increasing the presence of South Australian businesses and universities in the city.

Regarding education and workforce training, deputy chairman Dinh said Ho Chi Minh City highly values the reputation of South Australian institutions such as the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia.

He added that the city hopes to expand training cooperation in clean energy, artificial intelligence (AI), logistics, processing industries, and environmental management.

In addition, Ho Chi Minh City is interested in learning from South Australia’s experience in renewable energy development, energy transition, green infrastructure, and the circular economy, the official said.

The two sides also discussed the possibility of restoring and expanding direct air links between Ho Chi Minh City and Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, to strengthen trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges in the coming period.