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.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Minister-President of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh has highlighted potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Germany andits Lower Saxony state, and suggested the two sides step up cooperation indifferent areas.
At a reception for visiting Minister-President ofLower Saxony Stephan Weil in Hanoi on October 2, PM Chinh affirmed thatGermany is Vietnam’s leading economic partner in the European Union (EU) andample room remains for the two countries to enhance their collaboration in manyspheres.
The host leader expressed his hope for a moreintensive strategic partnership with Germany in general and Lower Saxony inparticular.
He used this occasion to thank the German governmentand people for their support to Vietnam during its past struggle for nationalindependence, and the present cause of national construction and development,and for their solidarity during the fight against COVID-19, helping Vietnamcontrol the pandemic and reopen its doors.
The PM emphasised that trade between Vietnam and LowerSaxony was valued at 1.4 billion EUR (1.46 billion USD) last year, equivalentto one-tenth of the trade revenue between the two countries.
The two sides should foster cooperation in politics anddiplomacy, trade-investment, climate change response, vocational training, andpeople-to-people exchange, he suggested.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Minister-President of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil. (Photo: VNA)
PM Chinh also called on the German state’s authorities toencourage local businesses to invest in the Southeast Asian nation in the areaswhere both sides have strengths and demand like high-tech, digitaltransformation, and climate change response, while supporting the German parliamentto soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), andurging the European Commission (EC) to remove its “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood.
The Vietnamese government, ministries, agencies andlocalities always back and stand ready to create favourable conditions forforeign investors, including those from Germany, to operate in the country, hestressed.
In reply, Weil, who is accompanied byrepresentatives of more than 40 businesses from Lower Saxony, congratulatedVietnam 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 partnershipswith Vietnamese ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises.
He shared PM Chinh’s views on priority cooperationareas, especially trade-investment, climate change response, renewable energy, thetraining of skilled workers, and tourism.
The official pledged to make efforts to promote theVietnam-Germany strategic partnership in a more practical and effective way./.
A graduation ceremony for students of a German standard training programme on metal cutting (MC) was held by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the General Directorate of Vocational Training in the southern province of Dong Nai on August 30.
Vietnam’s coffee exports in the third quarter of this year will slow down because supply is no longer abundant, according to the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a ceremony on September 29 to mark the 33rd anniversary of German Unity Day, showing the solidarity and friendship between the people of the city and Germany.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Minister-President of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil. (Photo: VNA) 
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Minister-President of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil. (Photo: VNA) 
