German Ambassador to Vietnam Guido Hildner (second, left) at the press conference on September 30 (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

Discussing bilateral relations at a press conference on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the German Unity Day (October 3) and 45 years of diplomatic ties between Germany and Vietnam (September 23), Hildner said that how to develop the strategic partnership was also among the issues discussed during phone talks between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 13 and between German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on September 25.

Highlighting the enhancement of bilateral ties in various spheres, the ambassador said a tripartite agreement was recently signed between the Vietnamese Government, the German Government, and the administration of Germany’s Hessen state to develop and expand the Vietnamese-German University (VGU).

The VGU is considered a “lighthouse” project in bilateral cooperation and an important contribution to the comprehensive reform of tertiary education in Vietnam, he noted, adding that there are about 7,500 Vietnamese students in Germany along with 163 cooperation projects in scientific research between the countries’ universities at present.

In terms of climate change response and environmental protection, energy supply by promoting the exploitation of renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency are among the focuses of Germany’s development cooperation in Vietnam, he said.

Meanwhile, economic ties play a significant role in bilateral links and have been strengthened continually, he affirmed.

Germany is the most important trade partner of Vietnam in the EU. Vietnam shipped 10.9 billion USD worth of goods to Germany last year, which in turn earned 4.8 billion USD from exports to the Southeast Asian nation.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam’s exports to Germany still grew 1.6 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2020, according to the ambassador.

He added that German investors poured over 2.1 billion USD and modern technology into Vietnam last year, up 5.8 percent from 2018, and that 380 German businesses have presence in the country.

Describing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) coming into force on August 1 as a milestone in both sides’ economic links, he held that the deal will further foster the economic partnership between the two countries.

The diplomat also said that while countries around the world have been seriously affected by COVID-19, Vietnam has moved to assist some, including Germany, by sending face masks, which is an encouraging sign of international solidarity./.VNA