GIC marks Vietnam silver jubilee, Deutsches Haus opens

The events, held on March 26, marked the strengthening of bilateral ties and connectivity between Vietnam and Germany, officials of both sides said.

GIC Vietnam, an organizational representative of the German Ministry of Economy and Energy and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry - DIHK, was established in 1994.

Over the last 25 years, GIC Vietnam has played an important role in promoting economic relations between the two countries, supporting businesses in Germany and Vietnam, facilitating greater connectivity and expanding investment.

Deutsches Haus - a new address

The Deutsches Haus in Ho Chi Minh City, a pioneering premium grade A+ office tower strategically located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, was officially inaugurated on Tuesday.

The building is home to the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, making it a key destination for German companies and a site that promotes German-Vietnamese relations.

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Tuan Anh said at the event that Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City will be the new address for Germany's diplomatic, economic, cultural and educational co-operation activities in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City in particular.

He said the building will be a bridge for businesses communities of both two countries, thereby contributing to strengthening trade and investment cooperation.

“In the future, I believe that the German House will not merely be the working address of the German Consulate, the German Economic Association, the German Cultural Exchange Agency and German Enterprises but an address that connects strategic projects in our relations,” Minister Tuan Anh said.

Germany has been Vietnam's leading trading partner in the EU for many years, recording a two-way trade turnover of about 10.7 billion USD in 2018.

As of February 2019, Germany had 322 FDI projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of more than 1.97 billion USD.

Vietnamese enterprises have 12 projects registered in Germany with a total investment of more than 31 million USD. However, this figure is still very modest and not commensurate with the potential that exists.

Minister Tran Tuan Anh suggested that German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier and his government continue to encourage German businesses to invest in Vietnam.

He also called for continued German support in the development of renewable energy, building policies, infrastructure and training human resources for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) and transitioning to a digital economy, innovation and in building a startup ecosystem for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Peter Altmaier responded that he and his ministry would always support bilateral trade promotion activities of GIC Vietnam. He said the support has been ongoing for the past 25 years and will continue for many years to come.

“During high-level meetings with my colleagues, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, I always emphasized the support of the German Government and the importance of the establishment of the German-Vietnamese Industry and Commerce Chamber in Vietnam, to strongly promote the connections and exchange of science and technology as well as the experience between the two countries' business communities,” he said.

Dr. Martin Wansleben, CEO of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) affirmed: "The GIC Vietnam is a bridge connecting businesses of the two countries and thereby, many large German projects have been built and implemented in Vietnam, and a typical example is the Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City.

He said he appreciated human resources training in Vietnam in towards sustainable development and sharpening competitive advantages. He also committed to do his best to back GIC Vietnam in further promoting trade and investment relations between the two countries.

Mr. Marko Walde, Chief Representative of GIC Vietnam shared: “With bilateral trade and investment promotion activities, we wish to contribute to the general development in economic relations between Germany and Vietnam and the growth of enterprises of the two countries.

“In addition to the German Business Incubator Vietnam project to support small and medium enterprises as well as German startups in investment in Vietnam, GIC Vietnam will soon accompany the Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City in constructing the Education Campus project in Ho Chi Minh City to help the younger generation of Vietnam access effective and practical teaching and training of Germany.”