Deutsche Welle highlights Vietnam, Germany cooperation

German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) run a story entitled “Forty years of German-Vietnamese ties” on its website on March 27, highlighting the two countries’ cooperation outcomes and prospects of bilateral relations.
German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) run a story entitled “Forty years of German-Vietnamese ties” on its website on March 27, highlighting the two countries’ cooperation outcomes and prospects of bilateral relations.

Author Rodion Ebbighause wrote that t he two nations are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties with a series of events, including exhibitions and concerts, to be held.

The story cited Rabea Brauer of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Hanoi as saying that the two countries have a lot in common: Both were divided and were on the front lines during the Cold War. The shared experience of division and reunification still serves as a bridge between Germany and Vietnam.

Gerhard Will, a Vietnam expert at the German Institute of International and Security Affairs in Berlin, said Berlin became Hanoi's main trading partner in the EU and Vietnam is a 'priority country' of German development cooperation.

The expert also believes that "it is in Germany's interest to have a partner in the region with whom Berlin could work together economically and politically."

The story noted the signing of the Hanoi Declaration in 2011 to establish the countries’ strategic partnership by their leaders who expressed the desire to continue economic partnership and cooperate in the areas of development policy, environment, education and science.

It said the German-Vietnamese University in Ho Chi Minh City, founded in 2008, is considered a model project in terms of bilateral cooperation.

Also on March 27, the DW website posted an interview granted by German Ambassador to Vietnam Jutta Frasch, who described the Southeast Asian country as an important partner of Germany.

She said bilateral ties have been strengthened over the last five years across economics, politics, and culture. About 300 German companies are running business in Vietnam with a total investment of 170 million EUR, which demonstrates the rapid development in their economic cooperation.-VNA

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