Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat, is set to begin a six-day official visit to Vietnam and Singapore this Saturday. The mission aims to open new markets for Catalan companies and attract investment from Southeast Asia, a region with growing economic influence and technological potential. Illa’s agenda includes high-level meetings with government and business leaders, as well as representatives of the leading airlines in both countries, to improve air connectivity between Catalonia and the region.
The trip begins in Hanoi, where Illa will meet Vietnam’s vice prime minister, Pham Gia Tuc, to discuss economic cooperation and opportunities for Catalan businesses. The itinerary also includes visits to Da Nang, a basic technology hub, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s economic capital. In Ho Chi Minh City, Illa will open a business forum focused on expanding Catalan companies’ presence in the Vietnamese market. The Catalan delegation will also meet local and international companies already operating in the area.
Midweek, Illa will travel to Singapore, a major financial and logistics center in Asia. He is scheduled to meet Singapore’s prime minister, Lawrence Wong, and speak with senior Catalan executives at multinational firms. The Generalitat aims to establish a long-term partnership with Singapore focused on new idea and industrial cooperation. It also wants to position the city-state as a strategic gateway for Catalonia in Southeast Asia.
Catalan government sources say the visit is part of a broader strategy to diversify export markets and promote the internationalization of Catalan companies, while presenting Catalonia as an attractive destination for foreign investment. The region is particularly interested in Vietnam and Singapore’s rapid growth and dynamic markets. Both countries also play impressive roles in controlling basic maritime routes in the region.
Trade figures underline the scale of the commercial relationship Catalonia is seeking to engage with. Vietnam-Singapore merchandise trade reached nearly SGD 42.8 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 46.8% year on year and already above the full-year 2025 total, information from Enterprise Singapore data cited by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade. Singapore’s exports to Vietnam rose 14.3% to SGD 23.4 billion, while imports from Vietnam increased 123.2% to SGD 19.4 billion. Vietnam accounted for 3.1% of Singapore’s total trade and remained its 10th-largest trading partner. The ministry said, “Vietnam continues to be Singapore’s 10th largest trading partner.”
The composition of those flows also points to the region’s technology and supply-chain links. Electrical machinery and equipment (HS code 85), together with mineral fuels and related products (HS code 27), generated more than SGD 15.1 billion, or 64.6% of Singapore’s exports to Vietnam, in the first nine months of 2026. Almost SGD 17 billion of Singapore’s exports were re-exports, compared with SGD 6.4 billion in domestically produced goods. That distinction reflects Singapore’s role as a regional distribution hub: including re-exports, it recorded an approximately SGD 4 billion trade surplus with Vietnam, while trade in Singapore-origin goods showed a SGD 12.9 billion deficit. The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore linked part of the expansion to investment in artificial intelligence and semiconductors, which is driving regional demand for machinery and components used in electronics production.
This is Illa’s third institutional trip to Asia, following visits to Japan and South Korea, then China in 2025, as outlined in the government’s Asia Strategy for 2025 to 2030. The focus on Southeast Asia reflects a shift in Catalonia’s international economic policy, which seeks to reduce reliance on traditional European partners and tap emerging markets with high growth potential. Singapore’s global merchandise trade reached almost SGD 1.39 trillion in the first nine months of 2026, up 36.9% year on year. Trade with Vietnam grew faster over the same period, one indication of the city-state’s reach across regional production and distribution networks.
Efforts to strengthen international ties are not limited to Asia. Recent initiatives in Spain’s coastal regions, including changes to supermarket hours in tourist areas, also reflect the country’s response to changing market dynamics. For example, dozens of Mercadona stores in Valencia, Alicante and Castellón have adjusted their Sunday opening times to better serve seasonal demand, as detailed in this report on supermarket operations in tourist zones.
Vietnam and Singapore have become increasingly impressive for European exporters in recent years. Vietnam’s economy has posted strong growth, driven by manufacturing and technology, while Singapore remains a global leader in finance and logistics, with a strong new idea sector. Both countries belong to major regional trade agreements, giving Catalan businesses access to broader Asian markets. The Catalan government’s push to establish direct air links and business forums in these countries is expected to ease trade flows and encourage more companies to explore opportunities in Southeast Asia. Such initiatives may help Catalonia secure a stronger foothold in one of the world’s most dynamic regions as global economic patterns shift.
