State visit to Germany heralds stronger ties

German Ambassador Jutta Frasch told VIR at last week’s press conference on this year’s 40th anniversary of Vietnamese-German diplomatic relations that the visit, following the invitation of German president Joachim Gauck, would help further the two countries’ political and economic co-operation, possibly opening up further horizons in the field of investment.

State President Truong Tan Sang will attend meetings with German leaders, while enterprises and investors from the two countries are expected to meet one another on the side-lines to seek investment and business opportunities.

“The two sides are working to finalise the specific time for the visit,” Frasch said.

She also mentioned Germany’s Parliament Speaker Norbert Lammert would pay an official visit to Vietnam in March to meet with Vietnamese leaders.

Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier is also expected to pay a visit to Vietnam this year.

“We will have stronger investment and commercial presence in Vietnam this year,” the ambassador said. “Germany will continue focusing its development co-operation with Vietnam in vocational training, environmental protection and green growth. More negotiations will take place in May.”

The German Business Association in Vietnam will be merged with the German Trade Office in Vietnam this year to become a more overarching and effective overseas trade and industry chamber facilitating co-operation between the two sides, according to the embassy.

A proposal to establish the chamber has been submitted to the Vietnamese government. After being established, the chamber will host both German and Vietnamese members.

“This will help further the two countries’ trade and investment relations, especially after the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is inked this year and takes effect,” Frasch said.

Vietnam and Germany will also boost co-operation on legal and institutional reforms and capacity building as a three-year action plan will be agreed on by the two sides over the next weeks.

Statistics from Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment show that up to December 15, 2014, Vietnam was home to 244 valid German investment projects, with the total registered capital of $1.34 billion.