AusCham Facilitates Austrade–VCCI Mekong Meeting and SunRice Visit in Dong Thap

Can Tho, 29 September, 2025 – A senior delegation from the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) met with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Mekong to explore new opportunities for bilateral trade and investment cooperation. The meeting was facilitated by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham).

The Austrade delegation was led by Dr. Paul Grimes, CEO of Austrade, together with Catherine Gallagher, General Manager for Southeast Asia, and Emma McDonald, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner (Vietnam and Cambodia). They were joined by Mr. Sam Conroy, President of AusCham, Mr. Edwin Law, AusCham Executive Director, and Mr. Kelvin Le, AusHub Representative. 

On the Vietnamese side, the delegation was welcomed by Mr. Nguyen Phuong Lam, Director of VCCI Mekong, and Ms. Nguyen Thuong Linh, Deputy Director of VCCI Mekong. Discussions focused on enhancing business linkages between the Mekong Delta region and Australia.

Mr. Nguyen Phuong Lam noted: “We are very pleased to welcome the high-level delegation of Austrade for this meeting. We see that the working spirit is very responsible and constructive for the cooperation goal between Australia and Vietnam. With this spirit and responsibility, we hope that Austrade will play an important role in creating development goals, including promoting support for trade cooperation between Australian enterprises and the Mekong Delta. VCCI Mekong Delta will make every effort to carry out activities with Austrade in the coming time.”

The meeting highlighted areas of mutual interest, including agriculture, agri-business value chains, and sustainable investment. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fostering stronger connections between local enterprises in the Mekong Delta and Australian partners.

Following the meeting, the Austrade and AusCham delegation travelled to Dong Thap province to visit SunRice, a leading Australian agribusiness with long-standing investment and operations in Vietnam. The delegation was warmly hosted by Mr. Nguyen Phuc Trai, General Manager of SunRice Vietnam, and his team, who showcased SunRice’s significant contribution to local employment, technology transfer, and agricultural cooperation in the region.

This engagement underscores Australia’s continued commitment to strengthening economic partnerships across Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong Delta – a region of strategic importance for both nations.