HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is seeking to deepen cooperation with United States’ companies in battery, new materials and green technology, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng said during a meeting with the US’s R3 Lithium Chairman and CEO Linh Austin on Monday in Hà Nội.
Deputy PM Thắng said Việt Nam regarded the US as one of its strategically important partners and wanted to deepen the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership through more substantive and effective cooperation with US businesses.
Việt Nam is shifting toward a new growth model that identifies science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as key drivers, while prioritising deeper processing, modern technologies and environmental protection, he said.
The country also aims to strengthen integration into international technology supply chains and mobilise external resources for development.
Việt Nam is creating favourable conditions for foreign companies, including US firms such as R3 Lithium, to invest and operate effectively in Việt Nam, he stressed.
Austin said that Việt Nam’s shift towards electrified transport is gaining momentum, with the number of electric vehicles on the road increasing rapidly.
He said that R3 Lithium is interested in working with Vietnamese partners on the green transition, particularly battery technology, recycling and the processing of critical minerals.
The aim is not only to establish a supply chain but also to build an ecosystem for recycling and reusing batteries and critical minerals in Việt Nam, he stressed.
Emphasising the importance of the US’ investment in Việt Nam, Deputy PM Thắng said the country’s market of more than 100 million people and growing demand for transport electrification offered significant room for projects involving batteries and new materials.
He stressed that Việt Nam wanted to attract not only more investment but also to enhance cooperation in research and development, technology transfer, high-quality workforce training, stronger domestic business capabilities and the development of products with global value.
Deputy PM Thắng expressed hope that R3 Lithium will continue to contribute to the development of economic ties between Việt Nam and the US.
Under Politburo’s Conclusion No. 83-KL/TW dated August 8, Việt Nam is eyeing to promote the development of the material industry from relying on resource advantages towards mastering materials technologies, and from extensive to intensive development.
Among the strategic materials identified for priority development through 2030 are materials for batteries and energy storage, as well as semiconductor materials, rare earths, new materials and specialised materials for high-tech applications.
Notably, since July 2026, the Institute for Industry and Trade Strategy and Policy Research has also included the lithium/cobalt-EV battery chain among the strategic materials value chains in the proposed development of Việt Nam’s Materials Industry Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045.
R3 Lithium is a US critical minerals company focused on producing lithium carbonate from recycled battery materials and strengthening battery-material supply chains. — BIZHUB/VNS
