Hanoi-Jerusalem relationship at high, Vietnam looks to Israel’s high-tech industry for opportunity
Israeli Ambassador Yaron Mayer told the Post that relations between Jerusalem and Hanoi were at an unprecedented level.
While Israeli diplomacy has undoubtedly become more complex in the two years since the October 7 Hamas attacks, relations between Jerusalem and Hanoi have continued to flourish, Israeli Ambassador Yaron Mayer said. The Jerusalem Post.
“The conflict naturally raised concerns, but did not dominate bilateral engagement. Diplomatic dialogue remained professional, respectful and focused on cooperation. Long-term partnerships were not disrupted,” the Post said. “Vietnam maintains a balanced position, supporting a two-state solution while continuing to view Israel as a leading technological partner. »
Mayer, who is also Israel’s representative to Laos, spent more than a decade working in Israeli diplomacy, having previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Myanmar and Nepal.
So far, much of his time has been spent representing Israel and building connections at the grassroots level. Celebrating his first Vietnamese New Year, which fell on his 7th month in the country, he joined a kindergarten class to learn how to make traditional Vietnamese Trung cake, a square cake made of sticky rice, green beans and meat.
The ambassador, whose mother was a famous London-born artist, also spoke of the challenge and beauty of learning to write a traditional word under the guidance of a calligrapher in Hanoi.
The Chinese writing, commonly hung on the walls of Vietnamese homes for good luck, was demonstrated by a local man who taught him how to write the word “AN”, which means peace.
Relations between the two countries have reached an unprecedented level, he said, highlighting recent achievements, such as the signing of the free trade agreement in 2023. Trade is expected to exceed $4 billion by the end of 2026, he confirmed.
In an earlier discussion, the ambassador suggested that Israelis should be encouraged to travel without a visa. He didn’t have much to say on the issue, but suggested it was the natural next step after Hanoi’s decision in 2023 to extend the duration of e-visas to 90 days.
Combined with the new direct Arkia flight from Tel Aviv, this clearly shows that Vietnam is investing heavily to attract Israeli tourists. Last year, at least 50,000 visitors entered Vietnam with Israeli passports, and the Tourism Ministry aims to reach 300,000 Israeli travelers by 2030.
Beyond tourism, Mayer said there is a plan to increase cooperation on technology transfer, smart agriculture, climate resilience and digital innovation over the next five years.
