Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung urged businesses from Hamburg to invest in Vietnam, especially in green transition and renewable energy, during a meeting with Hamburg First Mayor Peter Tschentscher in Hanoi on October 14.
Welcoming Tschentscher’s visit to Vietnam, Hung expressed appreciation for his goodwill towards the country and bilateral relations. The Prime Minister said the visit would deliver concrete results and create fresh momentum for cooperation between Vietnam and Hamburg, while helping deepen and make the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership more effective and substantive.
He praised Germany’s and Hamburg’s achievements in socio-economic development and external relations, as well as their roles in the European Union and the international arena. Hung described Hamburg as a major economic, maritime and logistics hub in Europe and an important gateway connecting Germany and Europe with Vietnam and the rest of the world.
Hung noted that bilateral cooperation had expanded substantially across various fields. Germany has become one of Vietnam’s leading trade partners, major investors and important development cooperation partners in the EU. The Vietnam-Germany University, he said, is a symbol of cooperation between the two countries. He added that the time was right to take their relationship to a new level and achieve breakthroughs in bilateral ties.
Briefing the guest on Vietnam’s recent socio-economic achievements, the Prime Minister affirmed that the country wants to work with reliable and promising partners, including Germany and Hamburg in particular, to achieve its strategic development goals. He called on Hamburg to strengthen practical cooperation with Vietnamese localities in areas where it has strengths, including seaports, logistics, the marine economy, green transition and smart cities, and to further facilitate trade, investment and economic ties.
Hung also urged Hamburg to help promote Vietnamese goods and services in Germany, particularly agricultural produce, processed food, coffee, beverages, consumer goods, handicrafts and green products. He proposed developing business links so Vietnamese companies can better respond to German consumer preferences and make more effective use of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
Hung proposed connecting Vietnamese companies with Hamburg’s renewable energy cluster and global offshore wind supply chains, as well as sharing experience in clean energy development. Referring to Vietnam’s ambition to become a strong maritime nation, he called for the marine economy, seaports and logistics to become priority areas of cooperation. He also proposed sharing information and experience between the Port of Hamburg and major Vietnamese ports, and expanding cooperation with Germany and Europe in transport.
Other proposed areas included science and technology, innovation, higher education, vocational training based on Germany’s dual training model, and sustainable development, including joint projects on energy transition and resilience.
The Government leader thanked Hamburg for supporting the Vietnamese community as it integrates into local society and builds its life there. He said this support helps strengthen people-to-people ties.
Tschentscher briefed Hung on the outcomes of his visit. He praised Vietnam’s impressive development, particularly its economic growth in the first nine months of the year, its ambition to achieve double-digit growth and the rapid implementation of major strategic infrastructure projects.
He described the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership, EVFTA and agreements between the two Governments as important drivers of bilateral relations.
Tschentscher said Hamburg and German businesses want to expand long-term cooperation with Vietnamese partners and localities, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, in areas where their strengths complement each other. He named seaports, logistics, transport, offshore wind power, higher education and science and technology.
Tschentscher also expressed hope that more Vietnamese business delegations would visit Germany and that EVFTA would be used more actively to boost trade between Vietnam, Germany and the European Union.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
