German Chancellor’s visit to create momentum for stronger ties with Vietnam: Scholar
Prof. Dr. Thomas Engelbert from the University of Hamburg has highlighted Germany - Vietnam relations in the recent past and prospects of bilateral ties in a recent interview ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s official visit to Vietnam from November 13 - 14.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Engelbert from the University of Hamburg grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency's resident correspondents. (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) – Prof. Dr. Thomas Engelbert fromthe University of Hamburg has highlighted Germany - Vietnam relations in therecent past and prospects of bilateral ties in a recent interview aheadof German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s official visit to Vietnam from November 13 - 14.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents, he said the relations betweenGermany and Vietnam have been thriving, especially in economy.
Germany is currently the biggest trading partner of Vietnamin Europe, with bilateral trade growing continually in recent years,particularly since the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect. Itis also the largest European investor in the Southeast Asian nation. Although Germany’stotal investment in Vietnam remains modest compared to that in many other Asiancountries, the development trend is very good in the coming time, he elaborated.
The two countries have also enjoying good cooperation in manyother areas such as environmental protection, clean energy development,culture, education - training, and development cooperation, Engelbert said, notingthat they have demand for enhancing and expanding cooperation to multiplespheres.
Describing the German Chancellor’s visit as great significance to the bilateral ties, the professor said the trip is driven by the GermanGovernment’s Indo-Pacific strategy, unveiled in 2020, and policy of diversifyingpolitical and economic partnerships in the region. In Southeast Asia, Vietnamis viewed as an important partner of Germany.
Through the visit, Germany wants to further reinforce cooperative ties with Vietnam, particularly in economy, trade, and investment, to maximise eachcountry’s advantages. German enterprises are also paying great attention to theinvestment and business climate in Vietnam and want to increase their presencehere, he went on.
The trip will help promote political trust between the twocountries, thus creating momentum for the bilateral relations to grow stronger inthe time to come, Engelbert added./.
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Prof. Dr. Thomas Engelbert from the University of Hamburg grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency's resident correspondents. (Photo: VNA) 
