Vietnam, Germany establish strategic partnership

Oct 11, 2011
(Xinhua)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel right and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung review a guard of honor during a welcome ceremony at Presidential Palace in Hanoi Vietnam Tuesday Oct 11 2011. Merkel was in Hanoi as part of a two-day visit to boost trade ties with the communist country. (AP Photo/Na Son Nguyen)

HANOI -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung held talks with his German counterpart Angela Merkel here on Tuesday during which the two sides agreed to establish strategic partnership.

At the talks, both sides informed each other of their respective country's situation, discussed before approving contents of the joint communiqu to promote bilateral relations and set forth practical measures for cooperation of mutual benefit, especially in economics, investment, education and training.

The two sides agreed to expand exchange of visits to enhance mutual understand and trust and set up a Vietnam-Germany strategic monitoring group chaired by leaders of the foreign ministries, to boost the effective and practical implementation of strategic cooperative contents.

Merkel pledged to continue priority for the official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, focusing on environmental protection, climate change, vocational training and health care.

She also said that Germany would continue support for Vietnam to enhance comprehensive ties with the European Union and to gain its recognition of Vietnam as a market economy. Germany will also back Vietnam in its negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU.

The two leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organizations.

They both expressed belief that the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership will certainly be implemented in both depth and width and with efficiency towards long-term and stable direction for the interest of both peoples and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world as a whole.

After the talks, the two leaders signed a number of documents, including the Hanoi Joint Declaration: Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership for future; agreements between the Vietnamese and German governments on the building of the German cultural house in Ho Chi Minh City; and a letter of intent between the two ministries of justice on continuing legal and judiciary cooperation.

On the same day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was received by Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, who affirmed that the Vietnamese NA would do its utmost to boost the strategic partnership between the two countries for the interests of both sides.

The Vietnamese NA is willing to cooperate closely with the German Parliament and create favorable conditions for cooperation programs between the two governments, Hung said.

For her part, Merkel said that the German Parliament wants to strengthen cooperation with the Vietnamese NA, and the German government wishes to expand investment and cooperation programs in Vietnam, and the establishment of the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership will facilitate cooperation between the two parliaments.

At the invitation of Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung, Merkel is paying a 2-day official visit to Vietnam. She will fly to southern Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday to visit some local sites and attend the Vietnam-Germany Business Forum.

（Editor：燕勐）