According to the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang paid a working visit to Vorarlberg from September 29 to 30. He met President of the State Parliament Harald Sonderegger, President of Chamber of Commerce of Vorarlberg Karlheinz Kopf, and executives from Doppelmayr, Künz, ÖBB Terminal Wolfurt and DREWES Logistics.
At the meetings, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang briefed his hosts on Viet Nam’s socio-economic development, ongoing reforms and development orientations towards 2045, which are centred on science, technology, innovation and high-quality human resources.
He highlighted Viet Nam’s stable political environment, extensive network of free trade agreements and deep integration into the global economy, which provide favourable conditions for Austrian businesses to expand their investment and operations in Viet Nam while strengthening connections with regional markets.
During his meeting with Harald Sonderegger, the two sides discussed the potential for stronger cooperation in the economy, education, vocational training (particularly nursing), and technology. They noted that the trust built between the two sides and successful cooperation models involving Austrian businesses in Viet Nam provide a foundation for expanding ties, particularly by helping Vorarlberg’s small and medium-sized enterprises explore the Vietnamese market and identify manufacturing partners and suppliers.
They also stressed the importance of implementing cooperation programmes that deliver concrete results in order to further deepen Viet Nam–Austria relations in general and Viet Nam–Vorarlberg ties in particular, towards the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2027.
At a meeting with Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce President Karlheinz Kopf, the two sides discussed vocational training cooperation tailored to business needs. A model combining training institutions with businesses was identified as a promising area of cooperation that could help meet workforce demand and strengthen production linkages between the two sides.
They also welcomed an investment promotion programme to be organised by Advantage Austria in Viet Nam from October 6 to 9, focusing on railway infrastructure, smart transport, urban technologies and maritime solutions in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong.
At Doppelmayr, a global leader in the design, manufacture and installation of cable transport systems for tourism, urban mobility and freight transport, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang held a working session with Managing Director Gerhard Gassner.
The company’s executives spoke highly of Viet Nam’s positive growth and market potential, describing it as Doppelmayr’s leading market in Southeast Asia, while also praising the capabilities and professionalism of Vietnamese engineers. Doppelmayr has successfully cooperated with Vietnamese partners, including Sun Group and Vingroup, on numerous cable car projects at well-known tourist destinations across Viet Nam.
During the visit, the Ambassador also toured Künz, ÖBB Terminal Wolfurt and DREWES Logistics, which have been investing and operating effectively in Viet Nam’s logistics sector. Executives from the companies praised the Vietnamese Government’s efforts to improve the investment environment and the quality of the country’s workforce. They expressed optimism about Viet Nam’s significant market potential and reaffirmed their commitment to long-term investment in the country.
The visit contributed to strengthening local-level external relations, opening up new market opportunities and promoting investment connectivity between Viet Nam and Vorarlberg in particular, and Austria general. It is also expected to encourage a new wave of high-quality, high-tech Austrian investment in Viet Nam, thereby fostering more substantive and deeper bilateral relations towards the 55th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties in 2027.
