Over the past five decades, Viet Nam and Germany have nurtured a strong and enduring relationship based on mutual respect, shared economic interests, and strategic collaboration.
Since 1990, the German government has provided development assistance totalling more than 2 billion EUR, contributing significantly to Viet Nam’s economic growth, improving people’s livelihoods, enhancing national competitiveness, and developing human resources through numerous vocational training projects. Germany has also supported technology transfer, renewable energy development, green and sustainable growth, and particularly climate change mitigation through afforestation projects.
With its strategic geopolitical position, dynamic economy, and young workforce, Viet Nam has become an increasingly attractive destination for investment and business expansion.
Speaking at the celebration, Santiago Alonso Rodriguez, First Counselor for Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Viet Nam, emphasised that over time, trade and economic cooperation has become one of the strongest pillars of bilateral relations between Viet Nam and Germany, strengthening friendship and paving the way for a future-oriented strategic partnership.
Providing an overview of Viet Nam’s current economic landscape, Dr Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Finance, noted that Viet Nam is entering a new era with two key development goals, including becoming a modern industrialised nation with upper-middle income status by 2030, and becoming a developed and high-income socialist-oriented country by 2045.
With these long-term goals, Dr Quynh expressed confidence that Viet Nam can become a reliable destination in the diversification strategies of German enterprises — offering professional industrial parks, smart factory models, and European-standard support centres for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Viet Nam also seeks enhanced technical cooperation, training, trade, and investment partnerships with Germany.
Tran Van Son, Deputy Director General of the Department of Debt Management and External Finance under Viet Nam’s Ministry of Finance, affirmed: “In the pillar of economic and development cooperation, the German government has shared Viet Nam’s common challenges in striving to become a modern industrialised nation by 2030, a developed high-income country by 2045, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. I firmly believe that, with strong solidarity and efforts from both governments and business communities, the Viet Nam–Germany Strategic Partnership will reach new heights, becoming increasingly diverse, dynamic, and effective.”
At the ceremony, speakers emphasised that in the near future, Viet Nam and Germany are expected to elevate their relationship, moving beyond traditional trade and investment cooperation toward value-based partnerships aligned with European standards. This enhanced cooperation will be built upon the EU–Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU–Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
Both sides were also encouraged to explore deeper incentives, simplify administrative procedures, and remove non-tariff barriers to further strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
Viet Nam and Germany are presented with numerous opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, and science and technology. However, both sides must work to overcome existing barriers and challenges while seizing emerging opportunities to enhance the quality of their partnership and achieve positive and sustainable outcomes in the future.
Currently, Germany ranks 17th out of 151 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam, with 503 projects totaling 2.9 billion USD in registered capital. Most of these investments are concentrated in localities with well-developed infrastructure such as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Nai. At present, more than 530 German enterprises are operating in Viet Nam, including major corporations such as Siemens, Bosch, and Deutsche Bank.
