Representatives of a visiting German business delegation are welcomed in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — With its ongoing economic transition towards green growth and digital transformation, HCM City is promoting cooperation with German businesses.

On April 10, Võ Văn Hoan, deputy chairman of the city People's Committee, welcomed Philipp Rosler, a former Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of Economics and Minister of Health of Germany, and a delegation of businesses he headed for promoting economic cooperation with the city.

Hoan said German companies, with their strengths and experience, could work with the city in priority areas such as building new industrial zones with advanced technologies, especially for microelectronics, electronics, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.

HCM City leaders hoped that German companies would invest in building a centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the city, and provide finance, technology and investment for infrastructure, including urban railways.

They thanked the visiting German business delegation for its cooperation proposals, and emphasised the city's readiness to transform ideas and cooperation aspirations into concrete actions. 

The city is prepared to create the most favourable conditions for businesses on both sides to explore opportunities and foster effective cooperation, ultimately resulting in mutual benefit, they added.

Rosler appreciated the warm welcome from the city's leadership and said the city's priority areas are those that his business delegation has strength in.

They could cooperate with HCM City for digital transformation, consulting, seeking investment and establishing the Fourth Industrial Revolution Centre, he added.

Urs Unkauf, head of the German business delegation and federal managing director for development and foreign trade (Global Economic Network BWA), hoped to promote cooperation between German and Vietnamese businesses and between HCM City and other Germany localities in areas of mutual interest.

The visitors said they were impressed by the dynamic development of Việt Nam's economy.

They hoped to contribute to the economic development of HCM City, especially in areas they have strengths in and HCM City prioritises, such as digital transformation, healthcare, innovation, and urban pollution mitigation.

Germany ranks 14th out of 122 countries and territories investing in HCM City, with 244 projects worth over US$378 million.  VNS