The visit took place within the framework of the 10th theoretical exchange between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the SPD.
Speaking at the meeting, Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Dang Minh Thong, expressed his pleasure in welcoming the delegation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany (1975–2025), describing it as an important milestone for both parties and states to continue strengthening and expanding cooperation across multiple fields.
He also praised the 100-year history of the SPD, Germany’s oldest political party, noting its extensive influence on German and European politics and its valuable experience in socio-economic development, as well as in shaping welfare, democratic, and sustainable policies.
Mr. Dang Minh Thong provided an overview of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest economic hub, home to nearly 14 million residents, contributing approximately 25 percent of the national GDP and one-third of the state budget. The city aims to develop into a multifunctional megacity, focusing on key sectors including finance, logistics, renewable energy, science and technology, and coastal tourism, with a target average GRDP growth of 10–11 percent per year.
He also expressed his desire to deepen cooperation with Germany in areas such as the economy, environment, human resource training, and digital transformation.
Deputy Secretary General of the SPD, Achim Post, thanked the city’s leadership for welcoming the delegation and expressed his admiration for Ho Chi Minh City’s dynamic growth, administrative reforms, and urban planning initiatives. He emphasized that the SPD places great importance on its cooperative relationship with Vietnam and hopes to further promote concrete joint programs, particularly through the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), a non-profit organization that serves as the SPD’s extended arm in international cooperation.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) has maintained an office in Hanoi since 1990, making it one of the first international organizations to establish a presence in Vietnam. The organization has actively supported policy dialogue, research capacity building, and training of government officials.
On this occasion, Ho Chi Minh City’s leadership congratulated FES on its 100th anniversary (1925–2025) and 35 years of activity in Vietnam, recognizing the organization’s tangible contributions to strengthening relations between the two parties, the two states, and the peoples of Vietnam and Germany, in pursuit of peace, social justice, and sustainable development.
