Investment Connectivity Forum 2025 highlights Vietnam–Italy economic ties

Hanoi, September 22 (VNA) - The Investment Connectivity Forum 2025 has been held in Milan, Italy, drawing nearly 200 representatives from Italy's corporations, banks, and investment funds.

Hosted by Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance, the event aimed to strengthen trade and investment links between Vietnam and Italy.

Addressing the forum, Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang highlighted Vietnam’s strong economic momentum, noting GDP growth of 7.09% in 2024 and 7.96% in the second quarter of 2025, with expectations of surpassing the annual growth target of 8%. Foreign investment has remained robust, with FDI and portfolio inflows reaching 26.14 billion USD in the first eight months of 2025, up 27.3% year on year.

Thang underscored the steady progress of the Vietnam–Italy strategic partnership, established in 2013. Italy has become Vietnam’s third-largest trading partner in the EU, with bilateral trade topping 4.3 billion USD in the first seven months of 202. Italian investors are running 162 projects, with total registered of 624 million USD, in Vietnam, while Vietnamese firms operate 11 projects worth 700,000 USD in Italy.

He invited Italian businesses to expand investment in areas such as renewable energy, green growth, high-tech agriculture, and the digital economy, reaffirming Vietnam’s commitment to improving the investment climate and fostering innovation-driven growth.

Undersecretary Cattaneo noted that direct flights between Vietnam and Milan provide new opportunities for business partnerships, while Cristina Morelli of Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) highlighted ongoing cooperation with Vietnamese banks and support for green energy projects.

The forum also featured presentations from Vietcombank and BIDV on financial prospects in Vietnam, alongside Italian firms outlining potential areas of collaboration./.