Two-way trade between Vietnam and Germany has increased continuously in recent years and is expected to hit 5 billion USD this year.

Nguyen Huu Thien, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association made the statement at a get-together on October 3 to mark the 21 st anniversary of German Unification Day.

As Vietnam’s leading EU trade partner, Germany mainly imports Vietnam’s footwear, garment, aquatic and agricultural products – especially coffee beans and black pepper – while Vietnam imports machinery, electrical appliances, equipment for mining and construction, garment, automobiles and pharmaceutical industries from Germany, Thien said.

He added that Germany currently ranks 22 nd out of 89 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 139 direct investment projects worth 778 million USD.

At present, the two countries are carrying out several major projects in the fields of infrastructure and energy, especially the projects on building the subway No 2 route in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam National Assembly House and an international airport in the southern region.

Conrad Cappel, German Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City said that the German government is following a policy of deepening cooperation with Vietnam in many fields, especially in politics, culture, economics, science, development policy and law.

The diplomat said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s upcoming visit to Vietnam would lift the two countries’ relations to a new height./.