Thuringia forges strong ties with Vietnam: focus on agricultural partnership!

Thuringia forges strong ties with Vietnam: focus on agricultural partnership!

Thuringia is pushing forward economic relations with Vietnam and is planning an exciting trip that starts today. A trade delegation of around 40 people led by Agriculture State Secretary Marcus Malsch will visit the lively metropolises of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang next week. This trip, organized by the Ministry of Economics and Agriculture, puts a clear focus on the food and agricultural industry as well as the recruitment of skilled workers. Malsch highlights Vietnam as a long-standing, reliable partner with whom cooperation in agriculture and agricultural technology should be further expanded.

The agricultural sector plays a central role in Vietnam, contributing around 10% of economic output and providing around a third of the country's jobs. At the same time, Malsch sees promising prospects for Thuringian companies: Thuringia offers technologies and processes for more efficient production and processing of agricultural products that are in demand in Vietnam. With a bilateral trade volume of 220 million euros, over 40 companies from Thuringia have already established regular export relationships to Vietnam, and Malsch is convinced that there is further growth potential here.

Focus on skilled workers and training

During the course of the trip, the focus will also be on recruiting skilled workers. In August, 60 Vietnamese young people began their training in Thuringian companies, a sign of the intensive partnership. This cooperation is supported by the South Thuringia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK), which has maintained close contacts with Vietnam for years. In recent years, 304 young Vietnamese have been successfully trained in Thuringia. “Vietnam is a future market for our economy,” said Thuringia’s Economics Minister Colette Boos-John, who is planning a delegation trip to Vietnam in November.

Another example is Vin, a Vietnamese trainee who has been living in Germany since May 2024. He recently passed his B2German test, which is an important requirement for non-EU foreigners to be admitted to the German labor market. Vin is part of a group of 54 Vietnamese trainees who were able to enter Germany earlier thanks to a newly developed project. Before this regulation, they had to learn German a whole year in advance before they could start their training place. Now they can enter the world of work more quickly through early entry and intensive language lessons.

At the local level, this initiative is supported by institutions such as the Marienstift Orthopedic Clinic in Arnstadt, where Vietnamese trainees such as Huyen and Trang are already gaining practical experience. Petra Hegt, managing director of the clinic, helped the two of them get started in Germany and emphasized that the B2 level is often not enough to be able to communicate effectively in social professions or in the catering industry. However, these challenges are part of the learning process, and with ongoing support from companies and educational institutions, trainees can quickly improve their skills.

Thuringia and Vietnam – that is a connection that builds a bridge not only economically but also culturally. The upcoming events show the great potential that lies in this partnership, and it will be exciting to see what new opportunities will arise from the journey.