According to the representative of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam, EU countries have many similarities with Vietnam and ASEAN in terms of their ambition for strategic technology autonomy.

The information was given by Ms. Kristina Buende, Head of Partnerships, European Union Delegation to Vietnam at the ASEAN-EU Digital Innovation Forum, on the afternoon of October 28. According to her, "similarities" with the EU include an approach to digital transformation, based on sovereignty, independence and trust.

She assessed that Vietnam's policy directions, including Resolution 57 on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, reflect a "strong vision" to become a technology-based economy, aiming for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The representative of the European Union Delegation said that the EU and ASEAN are connecting "closer than ever". The European Union affirms its willingness to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam and ASEAN in the field of digital innovation policy and research, aiming to jointly build digital transformation solutions.

The similarity in orientation creates many opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam in particular and the ASEAN region in general with EU countries in research, innovation and technology development.

At the Forum, one direction of cooperation mentioned was Horizon Europe - EI's flagship program on research and innovation, with a budget of 95 billion euros, period 2021-2027. According to Mr. Gonzalo Serrano, Deputy Head of Partnerships, EU Delegation to Vietnam, the program is not only for EU member countries but is also open to partner countries.

Horizon Europe has three pillars, including scientific excellence, addressing global challenges linked to European industrial competitiveness, and promoting innovation.

Not limited to the traditional academic cooperation framework, the program also links research and innovation activities with competitiveness and industrialization. This is not only a priority for the EU but also a priority for ASEAN. Therefore, most ASEAN member states "can benefit from this program", Mr. Serrano said.

According to the Deputy Head of Partnership Department, EU Delegation to Vietnam, the two sides can cooperate to solve global challenges such as climate change, food security, promote innovation, support startups and bring research results to the market.

Sharing at the forum, Director of the Department of Innovation Nguyen Mai Duong said that for nearly two years, Vietnam has focused on building mechanisms and policies to promote science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. Now is the time for implementation, so that policies create value in practice.

He said that some of the difficulties Vietnam needs to solve include access to finance for research and development (R&D), data infrastructure, computing capacity for artificial intelligence (AI), high-quality human resources and links between businesses and research institutes and universities. These are also issues of concern to many ASEAN countries.

According to Mr. Duong, ASEAN - EU cooperation can help the parties share experiences, connect resources and jointly seek solutions to promote digital innovation. The combination of the EU's experience and technological capacity with ASEAN's potential and development needs can create practical cooperation opportunities for both regions.

The ASEAN-EU Digital Innovation Forum is one of the activities within the framework of International Digital Week 2026 (VIDW 2026). Initiated in 2019, this is a forum chaired by the Ministry of Science and Technology and organized annually to promote digital technology cooperation.

This year, Vietnam International Digital Week takes place from October 28 to 30 in Quang Ninh, including trend and policy dialogue sessions, combined with technology display and demonstration activities.

Zhong Dat

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