President of the Germany-Vietnam Association, former German Ambassador to Việt Nam Rolf Schulze (middle). VNA/VNS Photo

BERLIN – Former German Ambassador to Việt Nam Rolf Schulze has said that the coming state visit to Việt Nam by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse is a testament to the close bilateral relations and friendship between the two countries.

In an interview to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visit, Schulze, who is now President of the Germany-Vietnam Association, said the visit takes place just more than a year after the successful trip to Việt Nam by Prime Minister Olaf Scholz.

Germany considers Việt Nam one of its important partners in Asia. Both countries attach importance to a rules-based international order in a multipolar world governed by the principles of the United Nations Charter. For both countries, respect for territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of conflicts are of great importance, the former ambassador said.

Regarding achievements in Germany's foreign policy towards Việt Nam over the years, Schulze expressed his impression of bilateral initiatives, describing the establishment of their strategic partnership in 2011 as the most prominence in the bilateral ties. This has served as a "roadmap" for the cooperation process between the two countries.

Another major achievement is the establishment of the Vietnamese-German University (VGU) in 2008, which has opened up "new horizons" for academic exchange between the two countries. Besides, students graduating from the Germany International School in Hồ Chí Minh City (IGS) can go through universities in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and many other countries around the world.

In addition, he highlighted the "German House" (Deutsches House) in HCM City - a modern, energy-saving building. It is also the headquarters of the German Consulate General, becoming a leading destination for German companies when seeking investment business opportunities in Việt Nam.

He added that another important foundation in the relations between the two countries is the cooperation in implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Germany supports Việt Nam’s green growth strategy, and it has contributed to the political declaration establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to open up financial resources to assist Vietnam's just and sustainble energy transition.

Last but not least, he said, the economic relationship between the two countries is a successful story. Schulze affirmed that in the European Union (EU), Germany has been so far the most important partner of Việt Nam, and VIệt Nam is Germany's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to the former diplomat, at the bilateral level, vocational training will bring many opportunities for the two countries’ cooperation in the future. At the international level, both countries need to further strengthen cooperation in United Nations organisations. VNS