The strategic partnership between Vietnam and Germany has developed substantively across multiple fields in recent times, especially after Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s official visit to Vietnam in November 2022, Ambassador Minh said.
Political trust has been enhanced through meetings at all levels, he said.
2023 alone saw more than 40 working trips to Germany undertaken by deputy ministers, and deputy heads of people’s committees of Vietnamese localities.
Meanwhile, many heads of German states and business leaders paid visits to Vietnam in 2022 and 2023. Most recently, the Minister-Presidents of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) and Thuringia visited Vietnam, with a record number of up to 50-70 businesses taking part in each.
Frameworks implementing economic diplomacy have been strengthened and expanded. Despite economic difficulties, Germany agreed to grant 61 million EUR in non-refundable aid to Vietnam for the 2024-2025 period. The two sides held the second session of the Joint Committee for Economic Cooperation. Many Vietnamese businesses resumed promotion activities and attended trade fairs in Germany. Both sides worked to ease difficulties to promote the implementation of Germany’s ‘lighthouse’ projects in Vietnam.
Germany is Vietnam’s largest trading partner in the European Union (EU), while Vietnam is Germany’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia.
Bilateral trade hit more than 11 billion USD last year (according to data unveiled by Vietnam) and 17.12 billion USD as of November 2023 (according to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany - Destatis).
As of the end of 2023, there had been 464 valid projects invested by Germany in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 2.74 billion USD. Vietnam invested 283.3 million USD in 37 projects in Germany.
Minh highlighted that important gains have been recorded in bilateral cooperation in other fields such as green development, energy transition and climate change response. Germany has continued to provide support for Vietnam to implement its commitments within the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and businesses of the two countries have proactively seized cooperation opportunities in this field.
Besides, many important resulted have been recorded in cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges, through a series of activities held in both countries’ localities, helping to popularise cultures and promote mutual understanding.
It’s noteworthy that the Federation of Vietnamese Associations in Germany was established at a congress held in Berlin late last year. The federation is expected to connect and unite all individuals, organisations and associations of Vietnamese people, acting as a bridge to further promote the friendship between the two peoples.
Ambassador Minh said the coming visit to Vietnam by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is of great significance as it is his first overseas trip in 2024 and is also the first exchange of high-level delegations between the two countries in 2024 - a pivotal year towards the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties in 2025.
Notably, he visited Vietnam in October 2016 in his capacity as Vice Chancellor of Germany, and in March 2008 when he was Foreign Minister of Germany. Visiting Vietnam this time, he will have the chance to inspect German invested lighthouse projects signed during his 2008 visit.
During his stay in Vietnam, President Steinmeier is scheduled to meet with senior Vietnamese leaders to discuss measures to further promote Vietnam – Germany cooperation in multiple fields as well as to exchange views on regional and international issues of shared concern.
High on the agenda will be economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Germany. President Steinmeier will be accompanied by a group of large German businesses operating in various industries.
According to Ambassador Minh, Vietnam has become a leading attractive destination for German businesses. Renewable energy, green transition and sustainable development, manufacturing industry, services, logistics, and education are priority areas of cooperation of both sides. A seminar is expected to take place between businesses accompanying the President and German businesses plus German business organisations operating in Vietnam.
An area of both sides’ interest is cooperation in vocational training and bringing Vietnamese skilled workers to work in Germany amidst serious labour shortages in the European country. A Letter of Intent on labour cooperation is expected to be signed on the occasion, Minh said.
