Viet Nam attaches importance to advancing relations with Germany

President Vo made the above statement during his summit meeting with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

Vo warmly welcomed Steinmeier on a two-day State visit to Viet Nam, expressing his belief that the visit would help further strengthen the friendshPresident Vo Van Thuongip and political trust and create momentum to boost the Viet Nam-Germany strategic partnership for the benefits of the two people and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Steinmeier said he was impressed with Viet Nam's dynamic socio-economic growth, emphasizing that the close bond and mutual trust between the two countries have been ceaselessly consolidated and enhanced over the past nearly five decades.

Germany wishes to foster multi-faceted cooperation with Viet Nam, particularly in such fields like trade, investment, energy transition, labor and vocational training, development cooperation, as well as multilateral coordination in favor of global peace, affirmed Steinmeier.

President Vo thanked the Government and people of Germany for their assistance for Viet Nam to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, a gesture that reflects the friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

In an atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding, the two Presidents discussed ways to further deepen the Viet Nam-Germany strategic partnership and compared notes on regional and international issues of shared concerns.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen political trust through delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, effective implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including strategic dialogue, joint committee for economic cooperation, government-level consultation on development cooperation, and dialogue on the rule of law, and coordination in realizing the Viet Nam-Germany strategic action plan for the 2023-2025 period.

The pair noted with satisfaction at the positive outcomes of bilateral education and training cooperation, especially the Viet Nam-Germany University – a symbol of the bilateral ties, has been operating effectivenly.

On economic front, the two Presidents agreed to continue full and effective implementation of the EU-Viet Nam free trade agreements (EVFTA),thus creating favorable conditions for each country's key products to access respective markets.

President Steinmeier affirmed Viet Nam is a reliable economic partner and wishes to promote economic cooperation with Viet Nam while President Vo suggested Germany to soon approve the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and to urge the European Commission to promptly remove yellow card against Vietnamese seafood.

Vo expressed thanks for Germany's assistance for Viet Nam in development cooperation over the last three decades, making positive contributions to the Southeast Asian nation's socio-economic development.

He also asked Germany to continue official development assistance to Viet Nam in the fields of energy, the environment and vocational training.

On climate change adaptation, President Steinmeier assured Germany's readiness to provide Viet Nam with technological, expertise and financial assistance in implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to help Viet Nam realize its net-zero emission commitments released at the 26^th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).

Both sides agreed to beef up cooperation in defense and security, science and technology, justice, and agriculture while steeping up cultural exchanges in a bid to enhance mutual understading and friendship between the two nations in the lead-up to the 50^th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025.

The two leaders agreed to collaborate and support each other at regional and multilateral forums, including ASEAN-Germany, ASEAN-EU, and the United Nations.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, settling disputes via peaceful means in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and voiced support for the negotiation process a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea between ASEAN and China.

After the meeting, President Vo and President Steinmeier witnessed the signing of an agreement on migrant labor cooperation between Viet Nam's Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Germany's Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs./.