In 2015, Ho Chi Minh City and Leipzig City (Free State of Saxony, Federal Republic of Germany) formally established a cordial and beneficial connection. Within the framework of the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership, this bilateral friendship has developed into an excellent example of highly substantial, dynamic, and successful subnational collaboration over the course of ten years of close companionship. With a strong emphasis on public healthcare, environmental protection, high-quality vocational training, and sustainable renewable energy development, the two localities, which are strategic economic hubs, have developed a comprehensive partnership that consistently translates diplomatic commitments into a number of useful action projects.
Located in the heart of Europe, Leipzig has been one of Germany's fastest-growing major cities for years, spanning an area of approximately 297 square kilometers. With its economic vitality, vibrant cultural scene, and excellent quality of life, it attracts new residents and millions of tourists every year. and a leading industrial, logistical, and biotechnology hub in Germany. The city is 1.000 years old a long history of international trade that is just as long. The massive automobile manufacturing complexes of the BMW and Porsche groups, as well as the DHL international aviation hub, demonstrate Leipzig's economy's extremely strong manufacturing and transportation services structure with global competitiveness. Leipzig provides substantial support for innovation in thriving sectors such as biotechnology, healthcare and IT, working in close collaboration with a vibrant and diverse scientific community comprising universities, colleges and research institutes. Leipzig’s GDP exceeding €29 billion annually and its growing steadily.
Leipzig is quickly becoming a model green city in the new era by developing the global information economy, encouraging a young, creative startup environment, and becoming a pioneer in the implementation of contemporary ecological infrastructure management solutions. Leipzig’s strategic vision, outlined in its urban development framework, balances dynamic economic expansion with environmental sustainability and social cohesion.
Vision: To solidify its standing as a sustainable, innovative European metropolis that fosters high living standards, digital innovation, and dynamic economic growth while maintaining climate resilience.
Mission: Leipzig aims to drive carbon-neutral mobility, support sustainable infrastructure, protect its extensive green spaces, and preserve its rich historical heritage while nurturing an inclusive social climate.
Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Duong Anh Đức receives and works with the First Deputy Mayor of Leipzig, Mr. Torsten Bonew, during his working visit to Ho Chi Minh City. - Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Online Newspaper
Over time, the two communities' collaborative accomplishments have proven to be very significant and influential in the fields of trade, education and training, healthcare, and economics. The bilateral commerce corridor has been further enhanced after the Leipzig Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City opened, acting as a central hub to link supply chains and draw in high-tech industrial investments. Through high-level delegation exchanges, medical technological transfers between major hospitals, the promotion of economic forums, and active support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from both sides, practical projects have consistently recorded significant milestones.
In order to draw in direct investment and establish strategic partnerships with partners from Leipzig City in five crucial areas, Ho Chi Minh City is growing its collaboration networks, especially in light of the city's recently expanded sustainable development space:
1. Advanced Healthcare and Wellness Services: Stepping up substantive healthcare cooperation projects between Military Hospital 175 and St. Georg Hospital, focusing on joint research, treatment technology transfers, specialized medical screening, and sports medicine.
2. Clean Energy and Green Environmental Infrastructure: Partnering in the transfer of German technological solutions for wastewater treatment, urban waste recycling, smart grid development, and sustainable climate change adaptation models.
3. High-Quality Dual Vocational Training: Forging inter-regional alliances for training and supplying human resources in nursing, mechanical engineering, and automation according to the standardized German "Dual Vocational Training" model, thereby expanding global employment capabilities.
4. Aviation Logistics and Trade Connectivity: Optimizing transport infrastructure systems, connecting cargo supply chains from Ho Chi Minh City's industrial zones to the Leipzig maritime-aviation transit hub to access the European market.
5. Startup Ecosystem and Digital Transformation: Coordinating the creation of networking channels for SMEs, promoting innovation centers, transferring core technology solutions, and applying artificial intelligence (AI) in smart digital urban governance.
As a sister city of Ho Chi Minh City, Leipzig and its surrounding region are home to the largest Vietnamese community in Germany. Vietnamese life in Leipzig is visible and tangible through numerous Vietnamese cultural, spiritual, and culinary institutions. Individuals who build bridges and foster civic engagement provide linguistic and cultural expertise, which is essential for encounters on equal footing.
To further expand cooperation between Vietnam and Germany, the City of Leipzig, the Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the University of Leipzig, and Invest Region Leipzig GmbH established the German Vietnam Hub to serve as a central gateway to the European market. Together with other partners who have proven expertise in Vietnam, business representatives from the Vietnamese community in Leipzig, and specialized law firms, they contribute their expertise to the Hub’s work. The German Vietnam Hub is the central point of contact in Germany for companies, investors, research organizations, institutions, and entrepreneurs from Vietnam.
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