In Hanoi, the German Embassy in Vietnam yesterday held a press conference to announce a series of upcoming events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany (September 23, 1975 - September 23, 2025).
Speaking at the press conference, Ambassador of Germany to Vietnam Margarete Barth highlighted the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as a significant milestone. This anniversary presents an invaluable opportunity for both nations to comprehensively review past achievements, assess the current state of bilateral relations, and jointly explore the vast potential for future cooperation across a wide spectrum of sectors.
Ambassador Barth underscored the pivotal role of people-to-people cooperation in strengthening bilateral relations between Germany and Vietnam. She emphasized that this dynamic exchange serves as the driving force behind the successful implementation of cooperative initiatives in diverse cultural and economic domains.
The influx of German tourists to Vietnam underscores this trend, with over 250,000 visiting in 2024 alone. This figure positions Germany as the second-largest source of tourists from Europe, following France. Additionally, there are more than 200,000 Vietnamese individuals residing, studying, and working in Germany.
Assessing the economic and investment cooperation between Germany and Vietnam, German Ambassador Helga Margarete Barth highlighted Vietnam’s successful process of opening up and integration. She emphasized that this openness has created valuable opportunities for economic and investment collaboration between the two countries.
Germany has established a significant presence in Vietnam, with investments exceeding US$3.6 billion. Currently, 530 German companies are successfully operating in the country, contributing approximately 50,000 jobs, according to Ms. Helga Margarete Barth.
Ms. Helga Margarete Barth emphasized that the bilateral trade between Germany and Vietnam will continue to flourish driven by the implementation of the European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which contributed to bringing the trade turnover between Germany and Vietnam to EUR8.8 billion in 2024. Germany is currently Vietnam's largest trading partner in the EU.
She highlighted that the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has significantly benefited Vietnam, resulting in a favorable trade balance. This positive development is evident in the increased presence of Vietnamese products in the EU market, including Germany.
Educational cooperation has also been promoted by both sides. Currently, the German Government's scholarships (DAAD program) have been awarded to more than 1,000 Vietnamese students and researchers in many fields.
Regarding the new areas that Germany wants to prioritize cooperation with Vietnam, Ambassador Margarete Barth said that Germany wants to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in cyber security and artificial intelligence.
Numerous companies are actively engaged in this sector in Vietnam and are keen to collaborate with Germany, with aspirations to establish an office in the country. The German Ambassador also expresses a desire for an increase in the export of Vietnamese products, particularly in electronics and food, including fish sauce, to Germany.
Activities in the framework of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and Vietnam will include the concert “Berlin Shines” with the participation of world-famous singer Katharine Mehrling, a performance by Thomas Anderson of the band Modern Talking, a ‘German Festival’ held at Hoan Kiem Lake. Furthermore, the writing contest ‘A Day as an Ambassador’ on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, a street art contest, an online exhibition and a signing ceremony between the Vietnam Football Federation and the German Bundesliga will be held.
Additionally, job fairs will be held in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, along with a career orientation bus traveling from North to South, a technology seminar, and a visit from a German business delegation to Vietnam.
