A performance at the meeting. (Source: thanhuytphcm)
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the association in HCM City on July 21, the diplomat congratulated the association on its successful organisation of cooperation programmes in the fields of culture, tourism and trade promotion between Vietnam and Germany in general and between HCM City and Germany in particular.
She said that the time-honoured friendship between Germany and Vietnam has experienced strong development, reflected through cooperation projects in culture, education, trade and investment, adding that the increasing number of Vietnamese people travelling to Germany and vice versa has demonstrated the thriving collaboration and friendship between the two sides.
Daniela expressed her wish that the community of Vietnamese who used to study and work in Germany will continue to work as a bridge helping intensify the mutual understanding and friendship, bringing practical benefits to people of the two countries.
HUFO President Huynh Minh Thien (fourth, right), presents gifts to individuals and organisations in recognition of their contributions to the City’s Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association. (Source: VNA)
Huynh Minh Thien, President of the Union of Friendship Organisations in HCM City (HUFO), hailed the diverse activities organised by the association, ranging from politics to economy, culture and social affairs, which he said have contributed to the city’s people-to-people diplomacy.
The association has 10 chapters and 500 members who are mainly young businesspeople.
Thien stated that the city is one of the localities with the most cooperation activities with Germany, particularly in the fields of culture, education, trade and investment, thus helping tighten relations between the two nations.
He voiced his hope that the association will continue organising people-to-people diplomacy activities with German partners in order to further develop the bilateral ties.
Germany is currently Vietnam’s important partner in the European Union in numerous fields such as politics, economy, trade, investment, science-technology, education-training and culture.
Two-way trade exceeded USD 8 billion in 2016, of which nearly USD 6 billion came from Vietnam’s exports, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of Vietnam’s total export turnover to the EU.
By the end of April, Germany had ranked fifth in the EU and 20th in 116 nations and territories investing in Vietnam with 285 valid projects worth around USD 1.4 billion./.
VNF
