Promoting cooperation in the automotive and mechanical industries with Germany

The Round Table was chaired by Mr. Michael Bose, Head of International Relations and Executive Director of the Cooperation Project with Japan, China and Vietnam (BeCAN 2.0) from Germany; on the Vietnamese side, Mr. Pham Dinh Nghi, Chairman of the Nam Dinh Provincial People's Committee and Ms. Dang Thi Thanh Phuong, Vietnam Trade Counselor in Germany. In addition, there were the participation of Association and project officials, representatives of the economic, trade and investment agencies of Nam Dinh province and the Vietnam Trade Office in Germany.

Speaking at the roundtable, Mr. Michael Bose introduced the Berlin-Brandenburg Automobile Association and its members. The Berlin-Brandenburg Automobile Association (aBB) is the association of automotive suppliers in the two states of Berlin and Brandenburg. The association represents more than 340 highly qualified enterprises in the field of vehicle manufacturing and the production of automotive components and spare parts. Currently, the association is implementing a cooperation project with Japan, China, and Vietnam (BeCAN 2.0). This is an international network project funded by the Ministry of Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises of the State of Berlin. The main purpose of the BeCAN2.0 network project is to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Berlin and Brandenburg in the process of restructuring international supply and creating value in the automotive industry, while promoting the establishment and development of sustainable international cooperation. Mr. Bose said that although Vietnam's automobile industry is still in its infancy, there are already very successful enterprises such as Vinfast with technical cooperation with German enterprises and German enterprises are increasingly interested in cooperation in production and export to the Vietnamese market. He said that in the near future, the Association will organize a delegation of German enterprises to work with Vietnamese associations and enterprises in this field.

Mr. Pham Dinh Nghi, Chairman of Nam Dinh Provincial People's Committee, thanked the Association and the Vietnam Trade Office in Germany for supporting the organization of a roundtable on cooperation in the field of automobiles and mechanics. He said that Nam Dinh is a province located in the center of the Southern Red River Delta, possessing great potential, advantages and space for investment in production and business development. Nam Dinh has a young, abundant and high-quality human resource; has a synchronous and modern transportation location connecting with the capital Hanoi, economic centers and neighboring provinces and especially always creates favorable conditions and preferential policies for foreign investors. Chairman Pham Dinh Nghi really hopes that German enterprises and investors will be interested in investing and cooperating in the province's projects in the fields of high-tech industry, spare parts manufacturing, automobile assembly, electronics, etc. The Chairman affirmed that Nam Dinh will create the most favorable conditions and always accompany investors and enterprises and invite representatives of the Association and German enterprises to soon visit and explore cooperation opportunities in Nam Dinh province.

At the Roundtable, on behalf of the Vietnam Trade Office in Germany, Ms. Dang Thi Thanh Phuong, Trade Counselor, said that Germany is Vietnam's most important economic, trade and investment cooperation partner in the European Union. In particular, cooperation in the automobile and mechanical industry is a field with a lot of potential and opportunities for businesses of both sides, including cooperation in production, investment, technology transfer and vocational training in the automobile and mechanical industry. Meanwhile, Nam Dinh is a locality with many advantages in terms of transportation, has an expanding industrial park infrastructure and is oriented to attract cooperation and investment in new technology and modern industry. In Nam Dinh province, there are also many high-quality vocational training schools in the fields of engineering and industry that can meet the human resource needs of German businesses in this industry. Therefore, Ms. Phuong hopes that the aBB Association will promote information about the advantages and cooperation potential of Nam Dinh province so that businesses interested in cooperation in production and human resource training in this field with businesses and training facilities in Nam Dinh. The Trade Office is always ready to create all conditions and support the connection of businesses on both sides to promote deep, effective and practical cooperation in this field.

After the presentation, representatives of both sides also had specific and positive exchanges about the needs and capabilities of each side and expressed their desire for specific cooperation in the future.