WNAM REPORT: On the occasion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation’s attendance at the upcoming 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass granted an interview to the press.
The following is the full text of the interview:
Reporter: Can you elaborate the key contents and significance of the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF)?
Ambassador Thomas Gass: So first of all, thank you for coming to speak to me about the web WEF about this year’s annual meetings which will take place next week in Davos in Switzerland. This is obviously a very important coming together of the leaders, of the political leaders, but also of the economic leaders of the world together with civil society to discuss the impact of the intelligent society.
Every one of us is now using chat GPT and artificial intelligence. What does that mean for economic growth? What does it mean for the way our industrialization is evolving? What does it mean for the way that the human resources and the capacities of the workers are being built up in the factories and in the companies?
What does it mean in terms of rebuilding trust in the international community? These are some of the important topics that will be discussed in Davos this year, and that’s why we’re very excited that Vietnam is going to be an active participant in this year’s event.
Reporter: A Vietnamese high-ranking delegation led by PM Pham Minh Chinh will attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the WEF. What are your expectations about Vietnam’s contributions to the meeting?
Ambassador Thomas Gass: In a world that is marked by a lot of tensions and polarisation, it is extremely important that countries such as Vietnam take an active role and also let their voice be heard. This is consistent with the vision of the Politburo and the Government of Vietnam, that Vietnam should have a stronger and a more prominent role at the regional and global level. Of course, as Switzerland, we very excited that PM Chinh is going to meet our President, Madam Karin Keller-Sutter, in a bilateral meeting where they will discuss the strengthening of the bilateral relationships and the elevation of the bilateral partnership. But we will also be listening to what PM Chinh has to say in terms of his analysis of the global situation and also the solutions that Vietnam can propose to these challenges that I have mentioned earlier on.
I am also aware that the Vietnamese delegation is preparing for very important and relevant side events on the mobilisation of finances for FinTech, but also for the building of international financial centres in Vietnam. Also the mobilisation of funding into the pharmaceutical industry and generally towards more innovation for renewable energy, for a service-oriented industry in Vietnam. So these are all very, very relevant topics and I know that PM Chinh will be able to convene some high-level CEOs around the table during these side events that are being facilitated by VinCapital on the one hand and by Soveco Vinhet on the other hand.
Reporter: How do you evaluate the Vietnam-Switzerland cooperation in 2024? What do you expect from the relationship in the near future?
Ambassador Thomas Gass: So the relationship between Vietnam and Switzerland is a strong relationship, a relationship of friendship. When you go outside you will not see many big signboards of Swiss companies. But if you go into the Vietnamese factories, then you will see a lot of Swiss machines. Whether it’s the robots that make the vin fast cars. Or whether it’s the beeler mills that are producing the rice. Or they are not cleaning and preparing the rice. Or whether it’s the coffee transformation plants of Nestle. Actually there is a lot.
When you came up here to my building you used the Schindler lift also. So these are just some of the examples of Swiss companies. We also have a lot of companies in the FinTech area that are already working here. Doing back office internet services for European banks and insurance companies. And post systems. We have Swiss companies developing software here in Vietnam. So there is a lot of very exciting things happening.
At the same time, I should admit that Vietnam has a free trade agreement with all the neighboring countries of Switzerland which is a problem for us. So is a very high priority. And also Vietnam is giving free visas to the people from our neighboring countries and not to us. And so obviously I am also discussing with the government in a spirit of friendship and partnership.
