National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân meets President of Germany’s Hessen State Parliament Boris Rhein during a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI Việt Nam always considered Germany an important partner, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân told President of Germany’s Hessen State Parliament Boris Rhein during a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Ngân said the Vietnamese NA always advocated strengthening ties with Germany, as well as between the two legislatures.

She said Việt Nam highly appreciated ties with German states, including Hessen, describing the ties as a new and effective model of co-operative relations that needed to be stepped up in the near future.

Lauding the position and strength of Hessen – one of the leading economic, financial and education hubs in Germany and Europe – she said there remained room for both sides to propel their ties more effectively.

Việt Nam welcomed Hessen investment in the fields of the country’s demand and the state’s strength such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, support industries, farm produce processing and natural rubber production, she said.

The Vietnamese NA had issued laws to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Germany, she added.

On the occasion, she also suggested the Hessen parliament leader and Hessen authorities provided support for Vietnamese enterprises operating in the state.

Rhein affirmed that Hessen highly valued direct collaboration with Việt Nam.

Hessen wanted to continue supporting the Vietnamese–German University because its students would become a bridge between Việt Nam and Germany as well as the state.

Trade co-operation

Hessen played an important role in promoting economic and trade co-operation between Việt Nam and Germany, Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình said at a reception for Rhein in Hà Nội the same day.

Bình said major groups from Hessen had been operating effectively in Việt Nam and suggested the two sides encourage more German businesses to invest in Việt Nam.

He proposed the state’s authorities create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises such as national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank), and FPT Software Company Limited to operate effectively in Hessen.

The Deputy PM highly appreciated the contributions of Rhein to the Vietnamese-German University when he held the position of Minister of Sciences and Arts of Hessen, as well as his support for Việt Nam in human resources training in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Bình hoped Rhein and parliamentarians of Hessen would continue strengthening co-operation with the Vietnamese Government to share experience in building a law-governed state and forming laws on public investment management, public-private partnerships, urban management and e-commerce.

For his part, Rhein said that Việt Nam would become the rotating Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Germany would hold role of Chair of the EU in 2020, which he said would create new impetus to deepen their bilateral relationship.

The two sides were looking forward to the ratification of the EVFTA, which was signed in June 2019, as the agreement would bring the two markets closer together, he said. VNS