Vietnam PM urges Russia's Rosatom to help with nuclear power development

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom) to help the Southeast Asian nation with nuclear power development.

Chinh made the statement at a Monday meeting with Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev, the third meeting between the duo in six months.

Rosam can also help Vietnam with nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and socioeconomic growth, such as technology transfer and training, Chinh said.

The Prime Minister also requested Vietnamese ministries to collaborate with Russia to perform detailed tasks on the basis of a “fair share of risks and benefits.”

Vietnam is preparing to restart its nuclear power project to ensure the country’s energy security, net zero 2050 target, and socioeconomic growth in order to facilitate its target of becoming a high-income developing country by 2030 and a developed country by 2045, Chinh emphasized.

In reply, the executive of Rosatom said Rosatom is willing to cooperate with Vietnam, especially in building a nuclear power plant, developing the nuclear science and industry, and localizing the manufacturing of nuclear products in Vietnam.

On the same day, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Nikolayevich Chernyshenko had a meeting in Hanoi, prior to Russian PM Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin’s official visit to Vietnam.

Ha affirmed Vietnam always follows its diplomatic policy of multilateralism and cooperation with Russia in all sectors. The two sides also highlighted that the two countries are extending their collaboration beyond traditional fields such as mechanics, chemicals, and renewable energy equipment to new areas of gas-fired power, LNG, renewable energy infrastructure, and fuels.