Towards new heights in Vietnam – EU, Vietnam – Germany relations

On the afternoon of October 28, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Vice President of the German Social Democratic Party Achim Post and Chairman of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee (INTA) Bernd Lange during their working visit to Vietnam and to attend the 10th Dialogue between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the German Social Democratic Party.

Báo Đại biểu Nhân dân•28/10/2025

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Vice Chairman of the German Social Democratic Party Achim Post

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Chairman of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee Bern Lange

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man welcomed the working visit to Vietnam of the Vice Chairman of the German Social Democratic Party Achim Post, Chairman of INTA Bernd Lange, and members of the German Social Democratic Party delegation; emphasizing that the visit is of great significance, marking a new milestone in the relationship between the two parties and two countries, building on the results of the 9th Dialogue between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the German Social Democratic Party held in Germany, and practically commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man delivered a speech at the reception.

Achim Post, Vice Chairman of the German Social Democratic Party and Chairman of INTA, and Bernd Lange, respectfully thanked National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man for taking the time to meet; and expressed their pleasure at witnessing the development of cooperative relations between Vietnam and Germany, and Vietnam and the European Union (EU) in recent times.

20251028 - CTQH-6 — Achim Post, Vice President of the German Social Democratic Party, speaks at the reception.

Both sides assessed that 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany, and that cooperation between the two countries is developing increasingly deeply, effectively, and comprehensively, achieving success across all pillars of cooperation. Vietnam-EU relations are developing well; after 5 years since the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into effect, bilateral trade cooperation has made remarkable progress; trade turnover has increased by 12-15% annually.

Given the complex developments in the world, Achim Post, Vice President of the German Social Democratic Party and Chairman of INTA, and Bernd Lange, emphasized the crucial role of strengthening and developing good friendly relations based on mutual understanding, trust, and respect. He expressed confidence that the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership, as well as the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation, will continue to develop strongly in the future.

20251028 - CTQH-9 — Bern Lange, Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade, speaks at the reception.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man stated that Vietnam appreciates and is grateful for Germany's support and assistance over the past period, through ODA assistance, as well as cooperation in the fields of digital transformation, green growth, education, environment, and especially support in providing vaccines for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic.

20251028 - CTQH-5 — National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man delivered a speech at the reception.

The Speaker of the National Assembly stated that the cooperative relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the German Federal Parliament has developed well in recent years. Both sides regularly maintain exchanges of delegations, share legislative and oversight experiences, and coordinate closely at multilateral parliamentary forums.

The Speaker of the National Assembly highly appreciated the SPD's support for the Vietnam-European Union Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA); and hoped that the German Social Democratic Party would continue to play its role and voice to help the German Parliament soon complete the ratification procedures for this Agreement, opening up new opportunities for cooperation, investment and trade, bringing practical benefits to businesses and people of both countries.

20251028 - CTQH-7 — *Bern Lange, Chair of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee, and Achim Post, Vice-Chairman of the German Social Democratic Party, at a meeting.*

The Chairman of the National Assembly stated that the Vietnamese National Assembly values and learns from the legislative and supervisory experiences of countries with complete rule of law and institutional frameworks, including Germany, in order to apply them appropriately to practice. He also emphasized that Vietnam always pays attention to the policies and guidelines of the German Social Democratic Party and the Federal Government of Germany, in which the German Social Democratic Party plays an important role.

The Chairman of the National Assembly highly appreciated the maintenance of the Dialogue mechanism between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the German Social Democratic Party for the past 14 years, which has become an important channel for exchanging theoretical and practical experiences between the two parties; he expressed confidence that, through this Dialogue and working sessions with Vietnamese partners, the German Social Democratic Party will gain a better understanding of Vietnam's sustainable development, independent and self-reliant foreign policy, peace, cooperation, and international integration in the context of a volatile world.

20251028 - CTQH-12 — Achim Post, Vice President of the German Social Democratic Party, speaks at the reception.

The Chairman of the National Assembly highly appreciated the EU's consideration of Vietnam as a priority partner in its cooperation policy with the Asia-Pacific region; and thanked the EU for its humanitarian aid of 650,000 Euros to help Vietnam overcome the consequences of the recent storms and floods (October 2025). The relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the European Parliament (EP) continues to develop positively, becoming increasingly substantive and effective in the spirit of dialogue, understanding, and constructive engagement. Both sides have maintained a stable parliamentary dialogue channel based on the Cooperation Agreement signed in 2010, creating an important foundation for strengthening exchanges and promoting mutual understanding.

The Speaker of the National Assembly expressed his hope that Vietnam and the EU would soon upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, creating favorable conditions for cooperation in many areas, not only between Vietnam and the EU but also connecting Southeast Asia and Europe.

*National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the delegates attending the reception pose for a commemorative photo.*

During the meeting, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Vice Chairman of the German Social Democratic Party Achim Post, Chairman of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee (INTA) Bernd Lange, exchanged views on the organizational structure of Vietnam's political system, some key items on the agenda of the Vietnamese National Assembly at its ongoing Tenth Session, the development of a digital parliament, and a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest.