Mr. Rolf Schulze, former German Ambassador to Vietnam (term 2007-2011), highly appreciated Vietnam's foreign policy, expressed his belief that the bilateral relationship between Germany and Vietnam will grow better and better.
He emphasized that Vietnam - with its commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation based on the rule of law - is a respected member of the international community.
A United Nations Security Council session on Sudan with the participation of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)
As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and many other international organizations, Vietnam has made important contributions to ensuring peace and stability in the world.
At the UN, Vietnam is joining hands to solve major challenges facing the international community.
According to the former German ambassador, in its foreign policy, Vietnam is successfully promoted and supported by excellent diplomacy and Vietnam can be proud of the progress it has made over the past few decades.
Regarding bilateral relations, he noted that Germany and Vietnam have established a strategic partnership since 2011, which he said is "great success story" of the bilateral relationship.
The relationship between the two countries has been stretched in many cooperation projects at all levels and in many political fields, which has created a trust structure for bilateral cooperation.
Germany and Vietnam are partners with a shared commitment to support a rules-based order, respect for international law, multilateralism, global free trade and investment, as well as environmental and climate protection.
Especially, the economic and trade relationship between the two countries is of great significance in the bilateral relationship.
With trade turnover in 2020 reaching about EUR13.3 billion, Germany is Vietnam's largest trading partner in the European Union (EU).
Currently, about 400 German companies are present in Vietnam, with a total investment of more than USD2.3 billion, helping to create about 50,000 jobs in Vietnam.
According to the Chairman of the German-Vietnamese Association, the two countries are hoping that the agreements between the EU and Vietnam, namely the Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) signed in mid-2019, will create more impetus for bilateral economic relations.
In addition, another important component of the relationship between Germany and Vietnam is development cooperation, with a focus on the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change. With the new strategy until 2030, Germany ranks Vietnam as a Global Partner country with key themes towards Vietnam's "green growth".
In addition, cultural cooperation between the two countries is also developing actively. Many German scientific and cultural institutions are operating in Vietnam and the two countries can also be proud of the Vietnam-Germany University (VGU) which is considered a "lighthouse project" in bilateral relations./.