German interest in Vietnam renewed

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam 's high economic growth rate has encouraged German enterprises, especially those from the Federal State of Hessen, to show more interest in trade and investment in Vietnam.

This was the view of Klauss-Peter Guettler, head of a visiting German trade
delegation, on Sept. 8. Guettler who is Secretary of Hessen's Ministry of
Economy, Transportation and Development, was speaking to Chamber of Commerce
and Industry vice chairman Doan Duy Khuong.

He said that Hessen, one of the fastest developing economies in Germany ,
would be an effective gateway for Vietnamese enterprises to penetrate German
and European markets.

He said great opportunities for cooperation had been opened since Vietnam
's accession into the WTO.

At present, Germany is Vietnam 's largest European Union trading
partner. In the past seven months of this year, Vietnam exported 1.3
billion USD worth of goods to Germany .

Key export items included footwear, textiles and garments, seafood,
handicrafts, computers, coffee, tea and rice.

By June this year, German businesses had pumped more than 599 million USD
into 105 Vietnamese projects. This made Germany 20 th among 81 countries
and territories investing in Vietnam .

Carola Terpe, sales manager for Guldi Moden Co, which specialises in
clothing for medical and hospital staff, said the company was looking for
manufacturers and exporters in Vietnam .

About 30 German firms attended a seminar in Hanoi on September 8. They
are involved in waste and waste-water treatment, bicycles and bicycle parts,
packing machines, air conditioners for vehicles, bottle moulds and parts,
mental alloys, IT, finance and banking, trade consulting, laboratory
equipment, garments and textiles and communications security
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