A ceremony was held in Berlin, Germany, on January 27 as a start of a series of events to be held throughout 2015 marking the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Germany diplomatic relations (1975-2015).

Among those attending were President of the German Parliament’s Lower House Norbert Lammert, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic – Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps, and representatives of the German Federal Foreign Ministry and other federal and state ministries.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh said Vietnam-Germany relations have seen great strides with annual high-ranking visits exchanged, citing the recent tour to the European country by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in September 2014.

The upcoming visits to Vietnam by German Foreign Federal Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and President of the German Parliament’s Lower House Norbert Lammert are expected to bring the two countries’ strategic partnership to the next level, she added.

The diplomat said outstanding cooperation achievements, like the setting up of the Vietnam-Germany University and the future construction of a German House in Ho Chi Minh City will be a springboard to forward the ties.

She described the 120,000-strong Vietnamese community as envoys who work to spread the country’s images in Germany and reinforce bilateral connection.

In his speech, Dr. Michael Fuchs, deputy parliamentary floor leader of the Christian Democratic Union party, valued existing bilateral cooperation as a strong foundation for expansion across the board in the future.

Regular visits by the countries’ leaders also showed political trust between the two sides has been lifted to a new height, he added.

Fuchs spoke highly of Vietnam’s successful organisation of the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK), saying it demonstrated the countries’ economic connection.

He said a number of German business delegation will come to explore investment and business opportunities in Vietnam in the time ahead, creating more momentum for two-way economic relations.

At the ceremony, a stamp celebrating the anniversary was unveiled. The symbolic item was designed by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Deutsche Post and published in Germany.

Earlier, the 40th anniversary year in Vietnam was started with a ceremony in HCM City on January 24.

VNA