Berlin (VNA)🌳 – Ahead of Austrian Federal Minister for European and International AffairsAlexander Schallenberg's official visit to Vietnam from April 16-18, the Austrian media simultaneously reportedon the trip, expressing their expectations that it will boost the bilateral relations, especially economic ties.

Kronen Zeitung, a daily newspaper founded in 1900 and hasthe largest circulation in Austria, ran an article saying thatSchallenberg will have a rare visit to the Southeast Asian country with a largebusiness delegation. The minister is scheduled to be received by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, hold talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, and meet with Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien.

Accompanying the Austrian minister is a businessdelegation consisting of representatives from 21 major Austrian enterprises, ledby Vice President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) Philipp Gady.

♌ Gady was quoted as saying in the article that the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement (EVFTA),  which became effective in 2020, is expected to eliminate mosttrade barriers by the end of this decade. With bilateral trade turnover ofover 1.6 billion EUR, Vietnam is currently Austria's largest economic partnerin ASEAN. There are currently 60 Austrian companies with offices or branches inVietnam.

Within the framework of his visit to Vietnam, Schallenberg is also expected to attend a business forum with theparticipation of representatives of businesses and agencies of the twocountries.  The daily quoted Vietnamese Ambassador toAustria Nguyen Trung Kien as saying that Austria and Vietnam complement eachother economically. For example, Vietnam can accelerate the modernisation ofagricultural production with support and machinery from Austria. Besides,Austrian businesses can also help promote tourism in Vietnam with Austriancable car technology. In addition, the two sides can promote cooperation in thefield of vocational training. Ahead of the visit, Schallenbergmentioned it as "Austria's strategic move to the Asia-Pacificregion".  Austrian dailynewspaper Wiener Zeitung on April 15 published an article assessing thatSchallenberg's visit to Vietnam aims to promote Austria'sparticipation in Vietnam's development and diversify the supply chain due to geopolitical risks. According to thearticle, Vietnam has carried out economic renovation, transitioned to a marketeconomy, and the country has achieved high economic growth, and attracted manyinternational investors and large corporations. 

One of the reasons whyAustrian businesses seek opportunities in Vietnam is to diversify their supplychains and locate more widely to limit the risks of being too dependent on asingle region, especially regarding the consequences of the conflict in Ukraineand the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

✱ The article alsoassesses that diversification is one of Vietnam's guiding principles, in whichpolitics also helps promote economic relations. The Vietnamese government isattracting foreign investors with favourable framework conditions and the country with a population of nearly 100 million had signed free tradeagreements with many countries.

The website Vienna.at also published an article saying that Schallenberg's visit is a reply to the visit of his Vietnamese counterpartBui Thanh Son to Vienna in September 2022 when the two countries celebrated the50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.  In the article, Head of the Asia-Pacific Departmentunder the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs Bita Rasoulian said that Austria and Vietnam have many similarities in their foreignpolicies.  She said the two countries will cooperate to promotemultilateralism, respect for international law, and disarmament as Vietnam isone of the first countries to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of NuclearWeapons. The article quoted Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Trung Kienwho emphasised Vietnam’s commitment to the principles of international law, andthat Vietnam supports the settlement of disputes in the East Sea in line with international treaties, such as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Lawof the Sea (UNCLOS). Other Austrian news sites such as Vol.at, a website of Vorarlberg state, volksblatt.at and nachrichten.at (twoOberösterreich state newspapers), and news.at also ran articles about Schallenberg's visit to Vietnam./.