Vietnam - Germany: Solid and Understanding

The cohesive relationship and cultural understanding between the two countries and the two peoples are the foundation for long-term economic and political relations between Vietnam and Germany. According to statistics, nearly 85,000 Vietnamese people (inclusive of 40,000 Vietnamese people granted German citizenship) are living in Germany. With their insights into German language, lifestyle and culture, they are an important bridge to connect the two countries and introduce Vietnamese culture to Germany and German people and also help Vietnam better understand more about the land and people of Germany.

 

On March 28, 2015, the Federation of Vietnamese People in Germany opened its office in Erfurt City. This was the contribution of the Vietnamese community in Erfurt City for solidarity, development and integration into German society, as well as promotion and preservation of Vietnamese traditional cultural identities in Erfurt City in particular and in Germany in general.

 

Currently, "German House in Ho Chi Minh City" project and Vietnam - Germany University in Vietnam project are regarded as the symbols of bilateral cooperation. Vietnam and Germany highly value and want to build this into a prestigious university in the region and in the world.

 

Germany is keen on multi-sector cooperation with Vietnam, ready to participate in infrastructure development and human resource training investment projects in Vietnam. German firms have advanced technologies and techniques and want to do long-term business in Vietnam. Not only focusing on doing business, they put a premium on vocational training for Vietnamese workers. They have provided opportunities for Vietnamese students to join vocational courses they hold. In particular, they are expanding cooperation with Vietnamese partners in energy and environmental protection - The practical issues to the development of Vietnam, and they pledge to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in the future.

 

Without doubt, Germany always gives priority support to Vietnam in education, scientific and technological cooperation. Scientific cooperation projects and contacts are primarily financed by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the German Research Foundation (DFG). Simultaneously, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam have also established a very close cooperative relationship.

 

At present, Vietnam is a key partner of Germany in the latter’s effort to disseminate and internationalise its university system. As an agency advancing the connection of external cultural policies, university policies, scientific researches and university development cooperation programmes and supporting international cooperation of German universities via student exchange programmes and scientist exchange programmes, the Project Support Programme and Scholarship Programme - DAAD have granted a lot of scholarships to Vietnam in the past years. In 2014, 59 DAAD short and long-term scholarships were granted to scientists, university professors and students. Currently, some 4,000 Vietnamese students and postgraduate students are studying in Germany, teach German in Vietnam and Vietnamese in Germany.

 

In addition, in the framework of the “Schools: Partners of the Future" Movement (PASCH) launched by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched in 2007, teachers of German language have been dispatched to more schools in Vietnam. German was officially recognised as a foreign language to be taught in schools in Vietnam since June 2013. This is a turning point in popularising German in Vietnam.

 

As a popular centre of German cultural and language exchange, the Goethe Institute has contributed significantly to Vietnam - Germany cultural cooperation development and served as a popular meeting point for those interested in learning German culture in Hanoi. Towards the 40th founding anniversary of Vietnam - Germany diplomatic ties, in 2015, the Goethe Institute has organised many cultural exchange programmes, featured by a concert performed by Vietnamese and German artists in March 2015, an exhibition on lacquer painting on steel and wood themed Vietnam in April, a conference with German film directors in the European and Vietnamese Documentaries Week in June, the German Film Festival in Ho Chi Minh City in September, electronic music on German classic silent films, and the performance tour by Rock-Pop Stabil Elite Band in Ho Chi Minh City in November

With fine traditional relationship and mutual cultural understanding, the outlook of political, economic, educational, scientific and technological cooperation development between the two countries will soon make breakthroughs and boost the Germany - Vietnam strategic partnership to a new plane.