Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thinh, head of the research group at TU Dortmund University and Standing Vice Chairman of the federation of Vietnamese people associations in Germany (Photo: VNA)Talking to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of a state visit onJanuary 23 - 24, Thinh considered the trip as an important milestone in bilateralrelations, a demonstration of continuous successes of Vietnam’s “bamboodiplomacy” and stature in the international arena, and also an affirmation bythe German Government that Vietnam is a strategic partner with a new standing.
He noted that the Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin community inGermany hope the enterprises accompanying President Steinmeier during the visitwill sign many cooperation deals on diplomacy, politics, science - technology,economy, culture, and tourism with the Vietnamese side.
The community are glad about the visit as they also considerthis a good sign for them to implement more activities to contribute to thehomeland.
Thinh expressed his hope that the two countries’ cooperationpotential will be better tapped into to develop their strategic cooperation moreintensively and extensively, thereby contributing to both sides’ prosperousdevelopment.
Mentioning scientific and technological cooperation, he saidVietnam is an important partner of many German ministries and sectors. Over thepast years, the European country has carried out many programmes to assistVietnam in many areas such as the International Climate Initiative, the Export Initiative Environmental Protection,climate protection, and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change,and the realisation of the net-zero emissions target by 2050.
Germany is strong at scientific research serving green growth,green technology development, climate protection, and climate change adaptation,which are also the fields Vietnam have had many cooperation projects on withand received financial aid from Germany.
The two sides have also worked together in machineryengineering, health care, Industry 4.0 technology, innovation, startup, humanresources training, and exchange of high-quality manpower, Thinh said, notingthat these fields boast huge potential needing to be further capitalised on viabilateral connections at all levels, from central to local ones.
With regard to the innovation network he currently chairs, Thinhsaid the network, established in September 2019, has held frequent activitiesto connect Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin intellectuals, experts, scientists,undergraduates, and post-graduates in Germany with those in the homeland andthe world. It has also organised workshops to help promote the competitivenessand stature of Vietnamese intellectuals in Germany, and built projects on technologytransfer, scientific - technological cooperation, and sci-tech application inthe Southeast Asian country.
In the coming time, it will boost support for the VietnamNational Innovation Centre in terms of innovation and modern technologydevelopment, he added./.
VNA
