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Vietnam's "Bamboo Dance" performance at the Leipzig City Cultural Exchange Week. Photo: Phuong Hoa - VNA reporter in Germany |
Within the framework of implementing economic and trade cooperation activities between Vietnam and Germany, especially activities to promote cooperation with localities of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Vietnam Trade Office in Germany has coordinated with the city of Leipzig and the Vietnamese Association in Leipzig to organize events to promote and introduce Vietnam's export products and culinary culture at the "Leipzig City Cultural Exchange Week" taking place from August 24 to 30.
“Leipzig Cultural Exchange Week” is an annual cultural exchange festival, but this is the first time that the Organizing Committee has invited cities that have sister relations with Leipzig and representatives of some international organizations located in the area to participate in the event. With the theme “Leipzig celebrates diversity”, the festival took place in the square next to the City Hall, attracting thousands of international tourists, German friends and Vietnamese people living in Leipzig.
Participating in the “Cultural Exchange Week”, the Vietnam Trade Office opened the Vietnam pavilion with many export products that are Vietnam’s strengths. Mr. Bui Quang Huy – Chairman of the Vietnam Business Association in Leipzig and representatives of the city government along with a large number of Vietnamese people in Leipzig attended.
Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung, Leipzig Deputy Mayor Clemens Schülke in charge of economy, labor and digital affairs and city officials visited the Vietnam pavilion and highly appreciated Vietnamese products and cuisine , as well as the contributions of the Vietnamese community to the city's overall development.
Speaking on the occasion of the “Cultural Exchange Week”, Mayor Burkhard Jung said that Leipzig is a multicultural and multi-ethnic city. The festival is an opportunity to connect culture, trade and promote the typical products of countries to friends around the world , not only in Germany. Mayor Burkhard Jung warmly thanked the representatives of countries and cities for attending, hoping that the countries will continue to promote the spirit of cooperation and actively participate in promoting the culture and typical products of the countries in the future.
In an interview with reporters, Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung once again thanked the role of the Vietnamese community and the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany for being an important bridge connecting Vietnam - Germany as well as between Leipzig and Ho Chi Minh City (Leipzig's sister city).
Mayor Burkhard Jung affirmed: “This is a good sign for the city. Because we invite you here to get to know each other, exchange and tell each other cultural stories, thereby connecting peace between peoples”.
According to the Mayor, the activities of the Vietnamese Association in Leipzig are commendable, contributing to the understanding and connection between the two peoples. The twinning relationship between Leipzig and Ho Chi Minh City is developing well, demonstrating the effective cooperation between localities in particular and between Vietnam and Germany in general.
The city representative announced that in 2025, an important event will be held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Germany diplomatic relations. The city will have special activities and programs for Vietnam and hopes that the Vietnamese side will actively participate in this product promotion activity.
At the Vietnam pavilion, activities introducing Vietnamese export products took place enthusiastically. Visitors from Germany and other countries were very interested in experiencing Vietnamese products such as coffee, tea from King Coffee, dried and soft-dried fruits, Son La tea products, seaweed, rice straws, bowls, plates, cups, glasses made from sugarcane bagasse from Ecoever or sauces, spices and many Vietnamese rice products such as rice, vermicelli, glass noodles, pho, and rice vermicelli. Visitors shared very useful and practical information about their needs, tastes, and consumption habits. They said they really liked environmentally friendly products, organic products that focus on sustainable consumption. Many visitors were very interested in channels to buy these products in Germany.
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Vietnam's booth at the Cultural Exchange Week in Leipzig Cultural Exchange Week in Leipzig city. Photo: Phuong Hoa - VNA reporter in Germany |
Over the years, Germany has always been one of Vietnam's important trade partners. In the relationship between the two countries, economic, trade and investment cooperation is a pillar. In 2023, two-way trade turnover reached more than 11 billion USD. Germany is Vietnam's largest trade partner in Europe. By the end of July 2024, the total import-export turnover between Vietnam and Germany reached about 6.7 billion USD, an increase of 3.47%, of which Vietnam's exports to Germany reached over 4.58 billion USD, an increase of 4.84% and Vietnam's imports from Germany reached about 2.12 billion USD, an increase of 0.63% over the same period in 2023, with a trade surplus of over 2.46 billion USD, an increase of 8.76%.
Regarding local cooperation, Leipzig and Ho Chi Minh City officially established a partnership on July 21, 2021. Previously, at the end of 2018, Leipzig opened a representative office in Vietnam and to date, Leipzig is the only German city with a representative office in Vietnam. Over the years, Leipzig and Vietnam in general, as well as Ho Chi Minh City in particular, have closely coordinated and effectively implemented many cooperation projects in various fields from economics, culture, health, education and training, to energy, environment, conservation of rare animals, etc. /.
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