Four corners of the world, thousands of miles apart, yet one family.
In recent years, Nghe An province has made efforts to innovate its investment attraction methods. The figure of over 1.6 billion USD in foreign investment into Nghe An in 2023 is the most vivid evidence of the province's effectiveness in attracting investment.
Recently, a delegation led by Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, and Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation - visited and worked with the embassies and several corporations and businesses in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the Federal Republic of Germany.
The trip yielded positive signals regarding investment attraction, broadened perspectives, and created opportunities for collaboration based on trust, proactive integration, and sustainable development.
Owneractively seek out reputable investors.
Working with the Vietnamese Embassies in Amsterdam, London, Berlin and major corporations such as AkzNobel paint company.Netherlands)The West London Chamber of Commerce, the German Business Association for the Asia-Pacific region, and Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy discussed the socio-economic situation, the initial results of investment attraction in recent years, and the province's "5 readinesses" in attracting investment.
To ensure the trip achieved its objectives, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy instructed the delegation members to carefully study the content and learn about their partners, according to their respective fields. Therefore, during the meetings, both sides focused on discussing specific issues.
Always listening attentively and thoroughly addressing the issues of concern and needing clarification from partners, the Provincial Party Secretary also shared his understanding of the exchange of opinions from the other side regarding some difficulties in the mechanisms, policies, and laws on investment and business, delays in administrative procedures, etc.; including "unpleasant" opinions such as the harassment caused by some state officials.
In his capacity as a member of the Central Committee of the Party and the highest-ranking leader of the province, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy pledged to work with the leadership of the Party Committee and the government of Nghe An to create the most favorable conditions possible for foreign investors as well as Vietnamese businesses to invest in Nghe An.
In response to the frank and sincere spirit of the top leader of Nghe An province, Mr. Vincent Mol - Director of Strategy at AkzoNobel, a company that has invested in more than 100 countries, including Vietnam, expressed his desire to soon visit and survey the market in the North Central region, in conjunction with the markets of Laos and Northeast Thailand; based on that, he hopes to build more paint manufacturing plants in Nghe An as suggested by the Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy.
Ms. Almut Rosne, a member of the Board of Directors of the German Business Association for the Asia-Pacific region in Hamburg (Germany), affirmed that next year they will organize a business delegation to Nghe An to survey investment opportunities in several sectors such as electronics, digital transformation, and electrical cable manufacturing.
Ms. Lile, representative of the Vietnamese Business Association in the UK, also suggested exploring and increasing opportunities to import OCOP products from Nghe An into supermarket chains in the UK…
Mandarina focus on in-depth research in several fields
During this trip, the major issue that Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and the delegation spent time surveying and researching was the operation of several seaports. Visiting the Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and the Port of Hamburg (Germany), Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and the delegation delved into the development planning, investment mechanisms, and state management of enterprises; as well as the operation, exploitation, and logistics connectivity with seaports in the region and internationally.
During the meeting, the leaders of Hamburg Port stated their readiness to effectively undertake the role of an international consulting firm for the investment, construction, and operation of an international seaport for Nghe An province. This is also one of the province's key investment priorities in the coming period, according to the Nghe An Provincial Development Plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, recently approved by the Prime Minister.
Cooperation in training and human resource utilization was also a key focus of the trip. Visiting the Automotive and Electrical Appliance Repair Vocational Training Center in Erfurt, Germany, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy inquired about the investor, management, priority recruitment targets, training duration and costs, and post-training employment arrangements.
The delegation members were truly impressed by the facilities and equipment for vocational training, the way theory is combined with practical training on modern models, and the training's alignment with the needs of businesses, ensuring employment and income for workers during and after training. Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy proposed that the Center research feasible cooperation options for vocational training and utilizing Nghe An's abundant labor force for the German market.
Currently, some countries like the Federal Republic of Germany are facing a shortage of more than 600,000 workers each year, especially in core technology, engineering, construction, and nursing fields. In recent years, the number of Vietnamese workers going to Germany to study at universities and vocational schools has increased significantly; currently, there are 7,400 people studying at various universities and vocational schools in Germany.
Ambassador Vu Quang Minh stated that Germany currently has 435 universities of applied sciences, most of which are public and have very low tuition fees. Based on the province's proposal, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany will continue to facilitate cooperation between several German universities in training, student exchange programs, and scientific research between the two sides.
Also within the framework of working sessions with embassies of various countries and organizations and businesses in the Netherlands, the UK, and Germany, the Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and the delegation were interested in learning about several issues, such as the development of renewable energy, organic agricultural production, wastewater and waste treatment technology, and cultural exchange cooperation…
Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy emphasized the proposal for ambassadors from other countries to assist and connect Nghe An so that it can directly work and cooperate in many aspects with some provinces in other countries that have conditions quite similar to Nghe An. Ambassadors Ngo Huong Nam, Vu Quang Minh, and Chargé d'affaires ad interim To Minh Thu all acknowledged and promised to take note of this proposal from Nghe An province.
Immediately after each meeting with ambassadors and foreign organizations and businesses, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy instructed the directors of the relevant departments to proactively connect and discuss with their partners, and to promptly develop plans to submit to the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee. The Provincial Party Secretary also instructed the secretary to draft a notice assigning tasks to the relevant departments and agencies for issuance immediately after the end of the trip.
Four corners of the world, thousands of miles apart, yet one family.
Working with Vietnamese embassies in various countries, the Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, Thai Thanh Quy, and the delegation from Nghe An province paid close attention to understanding the lives of the Vietnamese community, particularly those from Nghe An. The ambassadors noted that the Vietnamese community is increasingly playing a more positive role and having a greater influence. The number of children from Nghe An is quite large, and they have made many positive contributions to activities initiated by the embassies. The Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee expressed his hope that Vietnamese embassies in other countries would continue to pay attention to and create favorable conditions for the Nghe An community, as well as overseas Vietnamese in general, to live, study, and work comfortably.
Agreeing with and supporting the proposals of the Nghe An Hometown Association in Germany regarding creating more favorable conditions for businesses to invest in their homeland, and organizing activities to commemorate the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth in Germany next year, Secretary Thai Thanh Quy suggested that the Nghe An Hometown Association in Berlin should expand the scope of this event to include Vietnamese and Nghe An communities in several European countries, paying attention to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Nghe An, especially for young people.
One impressive destination is the city of Newhaven (England) - home to the Newhaven seaport - the first stop for the patriotic young man Nguyen Tat Thanh in 1913.
Newhaven Mayor Pinky McLean-Knight said: "For many years, the government and people of Newhaven have collected and preserved artifacts and documents about President Ho Chi Minh during his time living and working in England, with the affection and honor of having welcomed one of the world's greatest leaders."
Upon hearing that a delegation from Nghe An was visiting, artist Jo Lamb waited to meet them and shared that she was focusing on recreating images of President Ho Chi Minh in various historical periods, especially his time in England, for an exhibition about him organized by the Newhaven government next year.
Deeply moved by the sentiments of the government and people of Newhaven, on behalf of the Nghe An provincial leadership, the Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy discussed with the Mayor of Newhaven the province's plan to collaborate with the local government to upgrade the Ho Chi Minh space at the Newhaven Museum, provide additional digitized documents about President Ho Chi Minh, and potentially facilitate collaboration with artist Jo Lamb to create a painting recreating the image of President Ho Chi Minh through his various stages of life, as suggested by artist Jo Lamb.
Working with leaders of the British Communist Party and various overseas political, economic, and social organizations, and meeting and interacting with many foreigners in Europe, I have gained a deeper understanding of the stature, depth, and influence of Ho Chi Minh's thought, culture, and ethics on peace-loving and prosperous nations, especially in today's international context.
Through various communication channels, many people from Nghe An living in Germany, England, and the Netherlands came to welcome and enthusiastically assist with some of the delegation's activities. Many have lived and worked here for several decades, some have recently arrived for study or work, and upon meeting, their Nghe An accents resonated, simple and warm. Quite a few have worked hard and succeeded, and are now willing to support and help newcomers. Interacting with many second-generation individuals working in various government agencies, international organizations, or businesses, I sensed their confidence in integration and their awareness of preserving Vietnamese culture.
These heartfelt gatherings show that geographical distances are no longer a barrier, as the image of homeland and country remains in everyone's heart. And the world is no longer so vast, as each nation, each organization, each business, and each individual gains a deeper understanding of one another, uniting and cooperating on the basis of equality and the harmonious interests of each party, for the prosperity, happiness, and sustainable development of our common home, Earth.
Leaving Europe in the cool, fresh early summer weather, gazing at the ancient yet modern city, and the endless expanse of flat, green fields, I felt even more affection and love for my homeland, which endures so much hardship under the scorching sun. I also understood that for Nghe An to develop, in addition to concerted efforts and maximizing its internal strengths, it needs a broader vision and the opportunity to seize opportunities for deeper cooperation with friends, brothers, and partners near and far. This business trip is one of many efforts to find solutions for the province's development by 2030, with a vision to 2045, in accordance with Resolution No. 39 of the Politburo.