After the welcoming ceremony solemnly, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng had talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in which they exchanged their opinions on the bilateral cooperation between the two countries as well as discussed measures and projects to strengthen and promote this relationship on regional and international forums.

The two leaders highly spoke of cooperation documents just inked earlier, including the governmental-level agreement on the construction of metro system in Hồ Chí Minh City; an MoU on training Vietnamese economic managers; a statement on the cooperation between the Reconstruction Credit Institute (KFW) of Germany and the Việt Nam Development Bank; a statement on establishing the Việt Nam–Germany University in Hồ Chí Minh City; and a statement on judicial and legal cooperation.

Germany showed its desire to increase bilateral trade exchanges with Việt Nam and pledged to do more direct investments in Việt Nam in transport, environment, energy and telecommunication.

The two sides also affirmed main points in the agreed policies on sustainable economic development, environment protection, and decentralized health care.

In a press briefing later, Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the Vietnamese economy’s dynamic development and confirmed that she would encourage more German investors to enter Việt Nam. PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng gladly informed that Germany had acknowledged Việt Nam as a market economy and is ready to help Việt Nam develop a comprehensive relationship with the EU.

On the same day, PM Dũng paid a courtesy visit to German President Horst Kohler, met President of the German Bundestag (Lower House) Norbert Lammert, and attended the Việt Nam–Germany Economic Dialogue forum.

On March 7, after the meetings with Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and German Bundesrat (Upper House) President Harald Ringstorff, who is also the Minister-President of the State of Mecklenburg Vorpommern, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and his entourage will leave Berlin for Frankfurt.

By Hồng Uyên