Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (R) and State Secretary of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office Andreas Michaelis. (Photo: VNA)At the dialogue, Hang affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to itsstrategic partnership with Germany – a country with a key role in the EuropeanUnion, and thanked the German Government and people for providing over 10million vaccine doses against the COVID-19 pandemic and important medical equipment,contributing to the success of Vietnam in pandemic prevention and control.
Michaelis spoke highly of Vietnam’s development achievementsover the past years, stressing that it is his country’s importantpartner in the Indo-Pacific region.
In order to strengthen and deepen the bilateral strategicpartnership in the coming time, the two sides agreed to increase the exchangeof delegations, especially at the high level; maintain regular bilateral cooperationmechanisms; and promote collaboration in areas where the two countries havestrengths and demand.
Highlighting positive results in economic cooperation, withGermany remaining Vietnam’s biggest trading partner in the EU for years, thetwo sides agreed to coordinate closely to bring into full play advantages ofthe EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to facilitate the access of the twocountries’ goods to each other’s market.
Hang took the occasion to propose Germany back the EuropeanCommission’s consideration of removing its ‘yellow card’ warning against Vietnamese seafood,given her country’s efforts to strictly and fully implement the EC’s recommendationson fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
To increase the efficiency of bilateral investmentcooperation, the Vietnamese official suggested the Federal Foreign Office encourageGerman firms invest and expand production in Vietnam, and push for the GermanBundestag’s ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA).
She also proposed the German Government continue to supportVietnam in cooperation areas such as environmental protection, energy andvocational training in line with Vietnam's sustainable development goals.
For his part, Michaelis affirmed that in the complicated context of the world and regional situation and strong investment shift, theGerman Government supports and encourages businesses to diversify markets andpartners, in which Vietnam is a country with many advantages in terms ofmarket, labour and investment environment.
Germany is willing to support Vietnam in accessing capital,technology and human resources training within the framework of the Just EnergyTransition Partnership (JETP) to implement the nation's commitments announced at the26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) on reducingemissions to zero by 2050.
The two sides affirmed to maintain close coordinationand mutual support at such cooperation frameworks as the EU, the Association ofSoutheast Asia Nations (ASEAN), and international organisations, especially now that both are members of the UN Human Rights Council in the 2023-2025 term.
Regarding regional and international issues of mutualconcern, they stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability andsecurity, particularly maritime security, and supporting the settlement ofdisputes by peaceful means and abiding by international law, especially the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
At the dialogue, the two sides approved the Vietnam -Germany strategic action plan for the 2023 - 2025 period with orientations andcooperation activities in all fields including politics - security, economics,climate, energy, science - technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Within the framework of her working visit to Germany, Hanghad a meeting with Wolfgang Silbermann, Head Speechwriter for the German President./.
VNA
