On the morning of October 17, 2025, a high-level event jointly organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Germany. The event marked an important milestone in strengthening the economic partnership between the two nations.

Over the past five decades, Germany and Viet Nam have built a relationship based on mutual respect, shared economic interests, and strategic cooperation. The event brought together leaders and stakeholders from government, business, and international organizations to reflect on past achievements and chart the course for future collaboration in economy and investments in both countries.

Speaking at the event, Santiago Alonso Rodriguez, Head of Cooperation, German Embassy in Viet Nam, remarked: "Today, we celebrate not only 50 years of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Germany, but also our shared economic journey. Over time, economic and trade relations have become one of the strongest pillars of our bilateral ties, contributing to a forward-looking friendship and strategic partnership between our two countries."

Tran Van Son, Deputy General Director, the Department of Debt Management and External Economic Relations of Viet Nam’s Ministry of Finance, added: The German Government has shared the common challenges of Viet Nam in striving to achieve the goal of becoming an industrialised developing country by 2030, a high-income country by 2045 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. I believe that with the spirit of solidarity and strong efforts of the Governments and businesses of the two countries, the Viet Nam-Germany Strategic Partnership will reach new heights."

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975, and especially after the 1991 Technical Cooperation Agreement, Germany has played a pivotal role in supporting Viet Nam’s transformation from planned economy into a dynamic, open, and increasingly green market economy. Germany is now Viet Nam’s largest EU trading partner, while Viet Nam stands as Germany’s top partner within ASEAN. 

The first large Vietnamese corporations such as Vietinbank, FPT or Vinfast started entering the German and European market in the early 2010s by setting up subsidiaries in the FrankfurtRheinMain region. The EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in force since 2020, and Viet Nam’s active participation in global value chains continue to drive strong bilateral trade and investment flows.

A publication from GIZ was also presented at the event, highlighting the main developments of the two economies, alongside the snapshots of the enduring Viet Nam-Germany economic cooperation.

As both countries navigate an evolving global economic landscape, the 50th anniversary event provided a timely platform to reaffirm shared values, explore emerging areas for collaboration, and tighten people-to-people and business-to-business links.

As a federal enterprise, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. In Viet Nam, GIZ has been active for nearly 35 years and engaged in four priority areas: 1) Sustainable Economic Development; 2) Environmental policy and sustainable natural resource use; 3) Energy; 4) Vocational training.

FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH is the official government funded location promotion agency for the FrankfurtRheinMain metropolitan region. It unites 36 districts and cities, the State of Hesse, as well as numerous municipalities, chambers, and associations. Unique in Germany, FRM GmbH operates across state borders, representing parts of Hesse, Bavaria, and Rhineland-Palatinate. As the central point of contact, FRM GmbH supports foreign companies and investors interested in establishing a presence in the FrankfurtRheinMain region.