President Truong Tan Sang and his German counterpart Joachim Gauck expressed pleasure at the rapid development of the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership at their talks in Berlin on November 25 (local time).

President Truong Tan Sang (R) and German counterpart Joachim Gauck inspect the guard of honour in Berlin

The two State leaders agreed that the two countries have become not only strategic partners but also sincere friends with mutual understanding and respect. They stressed the need to strengthen visit exchanges and implement bilateral cooperative mechanisms in an effective fashion to create new momentum for a stronger strategic partnership in the time ahead.

Host and guest said they are delighted with the progress in bilateral trade and investment ties.

President Truong Tan Sang confirmed that Germany is currently one of the leading partners of Vietnam in Europe in various fields such as trade, science-technology, development cooperation, environment, law, education and vocational training.

Within five years, bilateral trade has almost doubled from 4.1 billion USD in 2010 to 7.8 billion USD in 2014. German investment in Vietnam has increased over 70 percent from 824 million USD in 2010 to 1.4 billion USD currently.

The two sides noted with satisfaction that the cooperation in the field of trade and investment between the two countries continues to make positive progress.

Both nations are enjoying favourable conditions to lift two-way trade to between 15 billion USD and 20 billion USD by 2020 and German investment in Vietnam to 5 billion USD as soon as possible.

They concurred to maintain Germany’s top place among Vietnam’s economic partners, especially when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is to be signed soon, and offer the best possible conditions for their enterprises to promote closer cooperation.

President Truong Tan Sang thanked the German Government for maintaining development aid to Vietnam over the past years, contributing significantly to the achievement of poverty reduction and economic development.

He also applauded the host’s continuing support for Vietnam in the 2015-2017 period, focusing on energy, environment, and vocational training.

The presidents were also pleased by the fruitful cooperation between the two countries in education, science and technology. They agreed to continue to cooperate closely in the fields.

For his part, President Joachim Gauck said he highly appreciated the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Germany to the prosperity of the host country.

The leaders praised the bilateral cooperation at multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations (UN), Asia-Europe (ASEM) Summit, and ASEAN-EU.

They agreed to increase consultations and collaboration in addressing global challenges such as climate change and marine security.

Vietnam supports Germany to enhance relations with ASEAN and vice versa, while Germany backs Vietnam in furthering the rapports with the EU, including the early signing of the EVFTA and the EU’s recognition of Vietnam’s market economy status.

President Truong Tan Sang said Vietnam will continue to closely work with Germany at the UN and support the European country to become a permanent member of an expanded UN Security Council.

Regarding regional and global issues of mutual interest, the two expressed their concerns over the increasing activities of artificial island construction which threatens peace, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea – home to a major international navigation route connecting trade between Europe and Asia.

The German President underscored the importance of settling disputes in the East Sea through peaceful means and in line with international law.

President Sang hailed German viewpoint in the East Sea issue and proposed Germany continue to raise an active voice in G7 and EU to support Vietnam and ASEAN in settling East Sea disputes via peaceful measures and international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Later at a press conference, the two leaders informed local and world press of the outstanding agreements reached during their talks.

Vietnam treasures strategic partnership with Germany

President Truong Tan Sang (L) shakes hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Vietnam attaches great importance to developing the strategic partnership with Germany, President Truong Tan Sang told German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their talks on November 25 as part of his visit to the European nation.

The Vietnamese leader expressed his wish that Germany will maintain its position as Vietnam’s leading European partner in trade-investment, science-technology, education-training, vocational training and employment cooperation.

The development of Vietnam-Germany ties in both depth and width has great significance for Vietnam when the country is speeding up its international economic integration and major bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, of which the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement is a high priority, he said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany values Vietnam’s position in Southeast Asia and wants to strengthen mutually-beneficial relations with Vietnam and through Vietnam with the ASEAN.

The two leaders noted with pleasure the effective work of bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Management Group, the Macro-economy Dialogue, the Political Consultation and bilateral working groups in various areas which have enabled the effective implementation of the Vietnam-German Strategic Action Plan, thus increasing mutual trust and understanding.

They agreed to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels and fruitfully realise bilateral cooperation mechanisms in order to create a momentum to strengthen and expand the strategic partnership.

Host and guest spoke highly of the rapid and sustainable growth of bilateral trade which nearly doubled from 4.1 billion USD in 2010 to 7.8 billion USD in 2014.

Germany has maintained its status as Vietnam’s largest trade partner in the EU, making up nearly 20 percent of the Vietnam’s export turnover in the EU market.

Many German businesses like Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, Bosch, B.Braun, Messer and Allianz are operating successfully in Vietnam.

However, Germany’s investment in Vietnam has remained moderate, reaching only 1.41 billion USD, ranking fifth in the EU, they said.

The leaders held that the two countries’ economic structures and strengths are reciprocal. They said with Germany’s large economic scale and strength in cutting-edge science-technology and Vietnam’s stable and dynamic development and intensive international integration, they are in good positions to boost trade and investment.

Enhancing trade and investment cooperation between the two countries are in line with the consensus reached by their leaders and aspirations of their businesses, they noted.

The Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, once signed and taking effect, is bound to create an impulse for economic, trade and investment ties between the two countries in the time ahead.

The two leaders consented to bring bilateral trade to 20 billion USD and Germany’s investment capital to 5 billion USD in the next five years.

Both expressed their satisfaction at the pace of the German House project in Ho Chi Minh City, which is described as a symbol of mutual trust and close ties between the two countries.

They agreed to create optimal conditions for the two countries’ businesses to beef up their cooperation, especially in manufacturing, electronics, renewable energy, infrastructure, consumer goods and agro-fisheries products.

Chancellor Angela Merkel promised to facilitate Vietnam’s exports to the German market, and noted her hope that Vietnam will be a bridge between Germany and other ASEAN countries.

President Truong Tan Sang thanked the German Government for continuing the provision of development aid to Vietnam, with 220 million USD to be supplied in 2015-2017, prioritising energy, environment and vocational training.

The leaders expressed their delight at the effective cooperation between the two countries in education-training and science-technology, and agreed to turn the Vietnam-Germany University into a leading research and training centre in Vietnam, meeting international standards.

They are committed to facilitating the teaching of German and Vietnamese in the respective countries and studying the construction of high-quality vocational training facilities in Vietnam.

President Sang hailed the pilot programme of sending Vietnamese nurses to work in Germany, and proposed the European country expand labour cooperation programmes to other promising professions such as hospital technicians and orthopedic equipment manufacturers.

With a young and dynamic workforce, Vietnam could support Germany in terms of human resources for various fields, he said.

The German Chancellor spoke highly of the successful integration of the 125,000-strong Vietnamese community in Germany, who she said have made active contributions to the development and prosperity of the host country.

She confirmed that the German Government will continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country.

The two leaders also discussed in depth regional and international issues of mutual concerns and agreed to enhance cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations, particularly at the United Nations (UN), Asia-Europe (ASEM) Summit , and ASEAN-EU.

The German Chancellor said she supports stronger relations between Vietnam and the EU, including the early signing of the EVFTA and the EU’s recognition of Vietnam’s market economy status.

For his part, President Sang said Vietnam will serve as a bridge to boost ASEAN’s relations with the EU and Germany in particular.

As regards the East Sea issues, Merkel reiterated Germany’s support for Vietnam and ASEAN’s viewpoints in settling any disputes via peaceful means and in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

On the same day, President Truong Tan Sang had a working session with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during which the Vietnamese State leader highlighted the growing strategic partnership between the two countries and confirmed Vietnam regards Germany as one of its top partners and hopes to further deepen the bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The President hailed the close coordination between the two ministries of foreign affairs via consulting activities and mutual support at multilateral forums.

In the economic front, the President said there remains vast potential for bilateral cooperation in the field, and hopes the business communities would grasp new cooperation opportunities in trade and investment.

Foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the German government attaches great importance to the strategic partnership with Vietnam and pledged to work alongside the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries to deepen the two countries’ relations.

On the occasion, President Sang along with senior officials of the two countries witnessed the signing of six cooperation documents, including an agreement on allowing relatives of members of diplomatic representative agencies to hold paid jobs in the other country, a governmental agreement on science-technology cooperation, a protocol revising and supplementing terms of the 1994 aviation transport agreement, an MoU on forestry cooperation, an MoU on regular dialogues between Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, German Business Association, and Delegate of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam, and a technical service contract on maintaining A320 aircraft engine between Vietjet Air and Lufthansa Group.

President meets Berlin Mayor, German parliamentarians

President Truong Tan Sang and his German counterpart Joachim Gauck are welcomed by Vietnamese and German children

President Truong Tan Sang on November 25 held a meeting with Berlin Mayor Michael Muller as part of his three-day State visit to Germany.

President Sang said he is impressed by the city’s modern public transport system and a green and clean environment.

He suggested the city share its experience with and support Vietnam in this field.

Speaking highly of the cooperation agreement between Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district and Lichtenberg district of Berlin, the President described the pact as the foundation for collaboration between the two capital cities in the time ahead.

The two sides agreed to promote economic cooperation between Berlin and Vietnam.

Mayor Michael Muller pledged more favourable conditions for Vietnamese in Berlin to run business and stabilise their lives in his city.

The same day, President Truong Tan Sang and his entourage laid wreaths at the Neue Wache Memorial dedicated to war victims and at the French Embassy in Berlin to pay tribute to victims of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

During his stay in Germany, the President also met with the German parliament’s Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group with ASEAN.

Hailing the group’s active support for enhancing relations between Germany and ASEAN in general and Vietnam in particular over the pat time, the leader said the group is an important bridge contributing to fostering ties between the law making bodies of Germany and ASEAN member countries.

He suggested the German parliament back Vietnam’s efforts in stepping up the comprehensive cooperation with the EU as well as the EU’s early signing of a free trade agreement with Vietnam.

The President noted his hope that the group will encourage the European Parliament to ratify the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the EU to recognise Vietnam’s market economy status at an early date.

The German parliamentarians said they support the enhancement of the legislative ties between the two countries and increase exchanges between the two countries’ people, students and economic groups.

They proposed the two countries increase vocational training programmes, considering high-quality personnel training a basic condition and momentum for the bilateral ties.

The group showed their readiness to help build vocational training schools in the Southeast Asian nation.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they said they back viewpoints of Vietnam and the ASEAN in settling the disputes through peaceful measures and on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

VNA