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Germany wants to reset ties with Vietnam after some tension: Heiko Maas
Linh Pham 08:05, 2019/02/22
Maas said Germany supported rapid negotiations of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on February 20 said that he would discuss the resetting of the Germany-Vietnam ties in the meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh in Berlin. 
 
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and German counterpart in Berlin on Feb 20. Photo: MOFA
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and German counterpart in Berlin on Feb 20. Photo: MOFA
The bilateral relations became sour in 2017 after Germany accused Vietnam of breaching international law by "kidnapping" Vietnamese business executive Trinh Xuan Thanh, who had sought asylum in Germany. 

“Today we want to reach agreement about resetting the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Germany and filling it with new substance,” Reuters quoted Maas as saying.

Maas said Vietnam is a key partner for Germany in Southeast Asia while Germany is Vietnam’s leading trading partner in Europe. 

He lauded Hanoi for making important progress in opening its economy and enacting other reforms in recent years. 

Maas also said Germany supported rapid negotiations of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Vietnam and Germany set up diplomatic relations in 1975 and upgraded their ties to strategic partnership in 2011.

Trade, investment: key pillar of strategic partnership 
 
Vietnamese FM Pham Binh Minh and Federal Minister of Germany for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier in Berlin on Feb 20. Photo: Bmwi.de
Vietnamese FM Pham Binh Minh and Federal Minister of Germany for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier in Berlin. Photo: Bmwi.de
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said during his visit to Germany from February 20 to February 21 that Hanoi highly appreciated Berlin for being the leading trade partner in the European Union for years. 

Minh, who doubles as deputy prime minister, said the Vietnamese government always welcomes German firms to set up and expand business in Vietnam, and Germany’s investment might soon exceed the current tally of US$1.97 billion. 

Minh agreed with Federal Minister of Germany for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier that the two sides would hold more delegation exchange visits and promote the participation of trade fairs in both countries. 

Vietnam calls for Germany’s investment in climate resilience, waste treatment, vocational training, and fields supporting Industry 4.0 which remain German strengths and sectors of strong demand in Vietnam. 

The officials highlighted the operations of Delegierter der Deutschen Wirtschaft in Vietnam (AHK) – Delegate of German Industry and Commerce Vietnam, regarding it as a place connecting the two sides’ business communities. 

In addition, the operations of Deutsches Haus in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, and Vietnamese-German University in Binh Duong province contribute to stronger relations in both economic and cultural aspects. 

In 2018, two-way trade hit EUR13.4 billion (US$15.6 billion), including EUR9.7 billion worth of Vietnam’s exports to Germany. 
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