BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) - Volkswagen is

holding "fair" and "constructive" talks with the United States

government on tariffs and wants to make further investments in

the country, CEO Oliver Blume told German newspaper Sueddeutsche

Zeitung.

"So far, we have had absolutely fair, constructive

discussions," Blume told the newspaper in an interview published

on Friday. "I was in Washington myself and we have been in

regular dialogue ever since."

Blume, who also leads Porsche AG as CEO,

said Volkswagen's main contact in Washington was U.S. Commerce

Secretary Howard Lutnick, adding he had agreed to keep any

details of the discussions confidential.

Sources

told

Reuters earlier this week that Germany's carmakers,

including Volkswagen, were in talks with Washington over a

possible import tariff deal, seeking to use their U.S.

investments and exports as leverage to soften any blow.

Asked what Blume was offering in the talks, he said: "The

Volkswagen Group wants to invest further in the USA. We have a

growth strategy."

Blume said the Volkswagen Group already employed over

20,000 people directly and over 55,000 people indirectly in the

United States, also singling out a $5.8 billion investment in

U.S. company Rivian.

"We would build on this with further, massive investments,"

Blume said, without elaborating.

(Writing by Friederike Heine and Christoph Steitz; Editing by

Christian Schmollinger)