On Monday, May 16th 2016, the German Business Association in Vietnam (GBA) held the “Meeting between Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee” where we welcomed H.E Vice Chairman Le Thanh Liem of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and Heads of Ho Chi Minh City Departments to a heart-to-heart Open Dialogue with more than 90 representatives from our German members corporations, associations and partners.
The Open Dialogue focused on the main topic of “Economic Update and Development of Ho Chi Minh City in 2016 – 2017, Business Opportunities and Investment Cooperation for German Companies in Vietnam.”
Vice Chairman Le Thanh Liem affirmed that the Germany-Vietnam relations have been strengthened and developed over the years and Germany is always the most important business partner of Vietnam amongst EU. Ho Chi Minh City is striving to regain its top 1 as main economic-, financial-, trading-, scientific-, and technological hub in South East Asia and thus openly welcoming more foreign investments to achieve this goal.
According to Ms. Le Thi Huynh Mai, Deputy Director of Department of Planning and Investment, by end of April 2016, German investments is at 17/75 in Ho Chi Minh city-wide with 114 FDI projects and more than 200 million USD registered capital.
To improve the business investment climate, most concerned topics revolved around the City’s measures to reduce traffic congestion including the prevention of flooding and air pollution, to face environmental challenges, to improve vocational training and enhance labor skills, as well as to contribute to more efficient administrative management. The City Leaders listened to the ideas, suggestions and constructive criticism of the German companies in the city and provided fruitful feedbacks. Ho Chi Minh City is now focusing on 7 programs for groundbreaking developments to be implemented in the years 2015 – 2020. This will set to bring Ho Chi Minh City to the right direction of becoming a Smart city in the near future.
The Board of the German Business Association in Vietnam affirmed to lead the active role for further strengthening bilateral ties and trade exchange between Germany to Vietnam in general and to Ho Chi Minh City in particular.
This is the second Meeting between Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and the German Business Association.
The GERMAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION – the GBA – founded in 1995, approved and licensed by the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in 1998, is the voice and advocate of German businesses in Vietnam, fostering bilateral socio-economic relations between the two countries. GBA is one of the longest established business associations and a founding-member of EUROCHAM in Vietnam. It represents more than 190 German corporations and works for the best possible market environment and operating conditions for German companies in the country. It acts as a competence center for its members, facilitating helpful information on business in Vietnam and establishing new contacts within the local community.
In 2015 the GBA celebrated its 20th anniversary in the country and decided to merge with the GIC/AHK Vietnam to become the future bilateral German – Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce (AHK Vietnam). By joining forces, the two institutions will be able to even better serve German business interests in the country and thus actively encourage and support further German investment in Vietnam.
GBA regularly creates opportunities for professional as well as social exchange with a number of high profile events. For the full range of activities and membership benefits please have a look at the GBA website: www.gba-vietnam.org