The forum through November 12, organised both in person and via videoconference, features more than 50 events and discussions on technological breakthroughs and the development of digital technology.
Addressing the plenary session themed “New industrial policy. Change readiness”, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi said Vietnam has achieved impressive economic achievements thanks to its people’s industriousness and the state’s attention to both people’s happiness and economic development.
He also underlined the enormous assistance that the former Soviet Union and Russia has given to Vietnam during the struggle for national independence and efforts of economic development.
Chairman of the Vietnamese People’s Association in Russia Do Xuan Hoang said innovation has become an indispensable part of the current life and changed the economy and society.
In fact, he noted, innovation is necessary for the development of any enterprise or economy.
As part of the forum, a roundtable workshop took place to look into the prospects of economic - trade partnerships between St. Petersburg and Vietnamese localities. It was attended by representatives from businesses, science and healthcare centres, and public organisations of the Russian city and Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong city, and Khanh Hoa province of Vietnam.
Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Committee for External Relations, noted the top priority of his city now is boosting cooperation with Vietnam.
Trade between the two countries has been growing continually, reaching US$4.9 billion in 2020 and US$3.8 billion in the first nine months of 2021, respectively rising 8% and 4.6% year on year, according to Khoi.
The diplomat also applauded the fruitful ties in COVID-19 prevention and control, helping turn Vietnam into the first Southeast Asian country to successfully bottle the Sputnik V vaccine and work to become a Sputnik V manufacturing centre in the region.
Participants in the workshop talked the outlook for bilateral cooperation in various fields such as cancer treatment, pharmaceutical, solid waste treatment, electrical materials and power grids, tourism, bamboo and rattan products, farm produce, software, and industrial park development.
