PM urges stronger cooperation with Germany’s Lower Saxony state

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has highlighted potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Germany and its Lower Saxony state, and suggested the two sides step up cooperation in different areas.

At a reception for visiting Minister-President of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil in Hanoi on October 2, PM Chinh affirmed that Germany is Vietnam’s leading economic partner in the European Union (EU) and ample room remains for the two countries to enhance their collaboration in many spheres.

The host leader expressed his hope for a more intensive strategic partnership with Germany in general and Lower Saxony in particular.

He used this occasion to thank the German government and people for their support to Vietnam during its past struggle for national independence, and the present cause of national construction and development, and for their solidarity during the fight against COVID-19, helping Vietnam control the pandemic and reopen its doors.

The PM emphasised that trade between Vietnam and Lower Saxony was valued at 1.4 billion EUR (1.46 billion USD) last year, equivalent to one-tenth of the trade revenue between the two countries.

The two sides should foster cooperation in politics and diplomacy, trade-investment, climate change response, vocational training, and people-to-people exchange, he suggested.

PM Chinh also called on the German state’s authorities to encourage local businesses to invest in the Southeast Asian nation in the areas where both sides have strengths and demand like high-tech, digital transformation, and climate change response, while supporting the German parliament to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and urging the European Commission (EC) to remove its “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood.

The Vietnamese government, ministries, agencies and localities always back and stand ready to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Germany, to operate in the country, he stressed.

In reply, Weil, who is accompanied by representatives of more than 40 businesses from Lower Saxony, congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in socio-economic development and foreign affairs, noting the authorities and business community of the state highly value cooperation potential between the two sides and wish to establish partnerships with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises.

He shared PM Chinh’s views on priority cooperation areas, especially trade-investment, climate change response, renewable energy, the training of skilled workers, and tourism.

The official pledged to make efforts to promote the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership in a more practical and effective way.