Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng (right) had talks with Peter Tschentscher, Prime Minister and First Mayor of Hamburg, in Hà Nội on October 14. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam encourages businesses based in Germany's Hamburg city to invest in the country, especially in green transition and renewable energy, said Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng while receiving Peter Tschentscher, Prime Minister and First Mayor of Hamburg, in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Welcoming Tschentscher’s visit to Việt Nam and expressing appreciation for his goodwill towards the country and bilateral relations, PM Hưng said he believes that the visit will deliver concrete results, creating fresh momentum for cooperation between Việt Nam and Hamburg, contributing to the further development of the Việt Nam–Germany Strategic Partnership in a deeper, more effective and substantive manner.

He spoke highly of Germany’s and Hamburg’s achievements in socio-economic development and external relations, as well as their important roles in the European Union (EU) and the international arena. He described Hamburg as a major economic, maritime and logistics hub in Europe and an important gateway connecting Germany and Europe with Việt Nam and the world.

The PM noted that bilateral cooperation has grown substantially across various fields, making Germany one of Việt Nam's leading trade partners, major investors and important development cooperation partners in the EU. The Việt Nam–Germany University is a symbol of the two countries’ cooperation, he said, adding that the time is ripe for them to elevate their relationship to a new level, creating breakthroughs in bilateral ties.

Briefing the guest on Việt Nam's recent socio-economic achievements, PM Hưng affirmed that the country wishes to work with trusted and promising partners, including Germany and Hamburg in particular, to realise its strategic development goals. He called on Hamburg to strengthen practical cooperation with Vietnamese localities in areas where it has advantages, including seaports, logistics, the marine economy, green transition and smart cities; and further facilitate trade, investment and economic ties.

The PM also urged Hamburg to help promote Vietnamese brand products and services in Germany, particularly agricultural produce, processed food, coffee, beverages, consumer goods, handicrafts and green, sustainable products. He encouraged business connectivity to help Vietnamese enterprises better meet German consumer preferences and make more effective use of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

He proposed connecting Vietnamese enterprises with Hamburg’s renewable energy cluster and global offshore wind power supply chains, as well as sharing experience in developing clean energy.

Highlighting Việt Nam's ambition to become a strong maritime nation, PM Hưng called for maritime economic development, seaports and logistics to become priority areas of cooperation, including information and experience sharing between the Port of Hamburg and major Vietnamese ports. He also encouraged 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, particularly joint projects on energy transition and resilience.

The Government leader thanked Hamburg for supporting the Vietnamese community there in integrating into local society and developing their lives, helping strengthen people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Tschentscher briefed the host on the outcomes of his visit. He praised Việt Nam's impressive development, particularly its economic growth in the first nine months of the year, its ambition to achieve double-digit growth and rapid implementation of major strategic infrastructure projects.

He described the Việt Nam–Germany Strategic Partnership, the EVFTA and agreements between the two Governments as important drivers of bilateral relations.

Hamburg and German businesses, he said, wish to expand long-term cooperation with Vietnamese partners and localities, particularly HCM City, in areas where their strengths complement each other such as seaports, logistics, transport, offshore wind power, higher education, and science-technology.

Tschentscher also expressed his hope that more Vietnamese business delegations will visit Germany and that the EVFTA will be further leveraged to boost trade between Việt Nam with Germany and the EU. — VNA/VNS