Vietnam is trying to balance growing pressure from China with its desire to deepen co-operation with the EU and the US. And so far, it seems to be doing so successfully. The country is pursuing a policy of ‘openness’ and emphasises its multilateralism and neutrality in the international arena, which helps it attract investment and new technologies for development.
An example of the effectiveness of this strategy was the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024 in Hanoi, the second in a row. The event lasted from 19 to 22 December and brought together 242 companies from more than 30 countries. Naturally, most of the exhibitors were local manufacturers, but major manufacturers from Turkey, France, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania were also present. There was also a stand from China. But one of the biggest was the stand of the US Army, which says a lot.
The products on display at the event included air defence systems, maritime technology and a variety of security equipment, as well as army equipment, communication and cyber security systems.
For the AKM Group-CZ team, attending the exhibition was a good opportunity to explore new markets and plan long-term co-operation.
‘AKM Group-Cz managed to hold more than 10 productive business meetings and negotiations during the exhibition, which was a good contribution to the realisation of our strategy to expand our presence in the international market,’ said a representative of AKM Group-CZ.
Speaking about the peculiarities of Vietnam’s defence industry, it should be noted that it is still largely based on Soviet-era technologies, explosives and ammunition. However, recently, thanks to active co-operation with international partners, high-tech developments have also appeared.
