An expression on the transfer of Covid-19 vaccine technology from Germany was included in the telephone conversation between Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 22.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in the phone talk with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 22. Photo: MoFA

Chinh hopes that Germany will facilitate the vaccine supply to Vietnam and tech transfer by German pharmaceutical firms.

At the phone talks, Chinh appreciated Germany for its big donation to the vaccine sharing COVAX Facility and thanked the European country for its relief of one million test kits to Vietnam.

Angela Merkel spoke highly of the mutual support in the pandemic and affirmed her administration’s policies in cooperating with Vietnam in the fight against Covid-19.

Talking about the bilateral relations, Merkel said Vietnam is an important partner in Germany’s Policy Guidelines for the Indo-Pacific Region and the two countries are making progress in tapping the strategic partnership.

Currently, Germany is Vietnam’s leading trade partner in the EU with the two-way trade hit US$10 billion in 2020. Meanwhile, Vietnam is Germany’s largest market in ASEAN.

Room for bilateral trade remains large thanks to the enforcement of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on August 1, 2020. The agreement has already provided an important milestone for intensifying trade relations.

Merkel affirmed that the EVFTA gains momentum for both countries in terms of economics and strategies.

In terms of investment, Merkel said a large number of German investors are interested in renewable energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing in Vietnam. Currently, the automobile industry is Vietnam’s top priority and is also one of Germany’s strengths.

Major German car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen have benefitted from significant opportunities with preferential terms in the EVFTA agreement to penetrate deeply into the Vietnam market.

In addition, Vietnam’s energy is receiving a lot of attention from German businesses, especially renewable and clean energy, including wind, solar, and gas power thanks to an increase in energy demand in Vietnam. So far, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) has been carrying out dozens of projects under the Vietnamese and German governments’ cooperation programs.

The country’s demand for electricity in the coming years will increase by more than 10% annually.

Meanwhile, Chinh suggested Germany’s relaxed import of Vietnam’s seasonal fruit and agriculture products. It hoped that Germany will soon complete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and will work with the European Committee (EC) on removing the “yellow card” on Vietnam’s seafood.

The two sides also affirmed the continued coordination and mutual support at international forums and organizations, especially in promoting ASEAN-EU relations.

Discussing the South China Sea (called East Sea by Vietnam), the two leaders emphasized that ensuring freedom of navigation, overflight, security, peace, and rule of law is the common interest of the international community.

They agreed to push the parties to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and negotiate Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in a substantive and effective manner in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.