At the Vietnam–Kazakhstan Business Roundtable held in Astana on May 6 as part of his state visit to Kazakhstan, Party General Secretary To Lam affirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment to creating favorable conditions for Kazakh investors to do business successfully in Vietnam.

The Party leader was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as  stating at the event that the success of Kazakh enterprises will also be regarded as Vietnam’s success and a source of pride.

The Party Chief expressed his hope that the business communities of both countries will leverage their respective strengths to build and integrate value chains, fostering stronger links between the two nations and connecting to global markets. This, he noted, will open up new opportunities for enhanced trade and investment cooperation in the near future.

He acknowledged the progress in bilateral economic relations and affirmed that both countries possess favorable conditions to enhance cooperation. He pointed out that both Vietnam and Kazakhstan are members of the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement, which facilitates deeper economic cooperation and promote two-way trade.

He also mentioned the signing of a joint action plan for 2023–2025 to further accelerate economic and trade collaboration during the official visit of the Kazakh President to Vietnam in August 2023. Additionally, he noted that major Vietnamese airlines, such as Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air, are exploring direct flights to Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan is successfully operating an international financial centre in Astana, while Vietnam is developing financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Yermek Kosherbayev, as quoted by the State-run news agency, highlighted the significant achievements in political, cultural, and science-technology ties between the two countries, saying that the two sides have enjoyed growing coordination bilaterally and multilaterally.

However, he noted that economic collaboration, particularly in trade and investment, has not yet reached its full potential. He emphasized Kazakhstan's readiness to partner with Vietnam in areas such as agriculture, digital transformation, and the development of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

He also announced the upcoming launch of a National Artificial Intelligence Centre in Kazakhstan, aiming to drive innovation in the sector.

As one of the leading countries in the field of information technology services, Kazakhstan proposed enhancing cooperation with Vietnam in the development of e-government, sharing advanced experiences, implementing next-generation digital services, and integrating artificial intelligence into public administration processes.

Mr. Kosherbayev called on Vietnamese partners to fully capitalize on existing potential to expand business operations in Kazakhstan. He affirmed that the Kazakh Government is committed to being a reliable and stable partner, and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation will continue to grow, unlocking new opportunities to strengthen ties, expand trade, and foster innovation.

Vietnam brought to the forum reputable enterprises with strengths in sectors where Kazakhstan seeks cooperation, such as oil and gas, energy, agriculture, minerals, chemicals, tourism, and textiles. The business community of the two sides exchanged views and orientations, explored partnership opportunities for mutual development, and discussed ways to foster shared development and prosperity, contributing to deepening their good traditional bilateral relationship.

On this occasion, General Secretary To Lam, Deputy PM of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev, and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son witnessed the exchange of several Vietnam-Kazakhstan cooperation agreements, including an overseas investment certificate issued by Vietnam's Ministry of Finance to Aviation Holdings, a member of Vietjet Air, for the acquisition of a strategic stake in Qazaq Air. This marks part of Vietjet's international expansion strategy, thus strengthening Vietnam-Kazakhstan bilateral ties in aviation, economic, and cultural cooperation, while opening a new chapter for the aviation industry in Central Asia.