Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on September 6 for Tim Hughes, Senior Vice President for Global Business and Government Affairs of the US-based provider of spacecraft, satellite launch services, and satellite communications SpaceX, where he called for stronger cooperation in science-technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things.
The PM affirmed that Vietnam considers the US an important partner and wants to further deepen relations with the country, particularly in science and technology, innovation, high-tech industries, and semiconductors, which have been defined as key pillars of the bilateral relationship.
With the US investing more than US$11.8 billion in over 1,300 projects in Vietnam, PM Chinh held that economic relations have yet to be commensurate with the potential and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Vietnam always creates the most favorable conditions possible for US businesses to succeed in the nation in the spirit of “harmonizing interests, sharing risks,” he said.
The PM also highlighted Vietnam's ongoing efforts to build a digital government, digital economy, digital society, and digital citizens, and expressed his wish for large technology companies, including SpaceX, to cooperate and invest in the country.
Hughes praised Vietnam’s business climate and said that SpaceX is ready to invest and provide its Starlink satellite internet services in the Southeast Asian nation, covering many sectors like education, training, and disaster prevention. He suggested Vietnam prepare necessary infrastructure and conditions to maximize the project's effectiveness, helping to provide Internet coverage to 100 percent of the population.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highly evaluated the company's ideas and investment proposals and hoped that these proposals would soon become a reality. He affirmed that Vietnam has necessary infrastructure, mechanisms, and policies to enable companies, including SpaceX, to invest and do business effectively in the country.
The PM urged SpaceX to collaborate with relevant Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and agencies to ensure that the cooperation project complies with Vietnamese laws and maintain network security and safety. He also encouraged further partnerships in areas where SpaceX has strengths and Vietnam has potential.
The leader called on the US company to assist Vietnam in technology transfer, human resources training, and management expertise. He requested SpaceX to expand partnerships with Vietnamese peers, particularly focusing on increasing the content of high, digital, and green technologies, developing supporting industries, and providing secondary services to help Vietnam integrate more deeply into the global value chains.
