State President meets with German friends

PANO – State President Truong Tan Sang met with German friends in Berlin on November 24th, as part of his state-level visit to Germany from November 24th and 26th at the invitation of German President Joachim Gauck.

Previously, the Vietnamese leader and his spouse were welcomed with a 21-gun salute and with the participation of German senior oficials, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung, and ambassadors and charge d’affairs of ASEAN member countries to Germany.

At the meeting, Ambassador Hung, President of the Vietnam Friendship Association in Germany Prof. Giesenfeld, President of the Germany-Vietnam Friendship Association Sommer and other representatives of non-governmental organizations delivered speeches to welcome President Sang’s state-level visit to Germany.

At the meeting. Photo: qdnd.vn

Then, they recalled their unforgettable memories of and sentiments for Vietnam.

In turn, President Sang recalled visits to Germany by late President Ho Chi Minh, who laid the foundation for the solidarity and friendship between the two countries.

On this occasion, he delivered his thanks to German friends for their wholehearted support of Vietnam in its national salvation cause, while underlining that many generations of Vietnamese students and postgraduates have been trained in Germany before returning home and becoming leading experts in their fields.

President Sang held that Vietnam and Germany have been enjoying fine relations in every aspect, which has sprung from the foundation of the Vietnam-Germany friendship contributed by the Vietnam Friendship Association in Germany and the Germany-Vietnam Friendship Association in general, and Mr. Giesenfeld and Mr. Sommer in particular.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State, President Sang expressed his sincere thanks to friendship associations, non-governmental organizations and German friends for the development of Vietnam, making contributions to heightening the Vietnam-Germany ties and spreading enthusiasm to future generations to continue maintaining and upholding their traditional relationship of solidarity and cooperation.

* The same day, State President Truong Tan Sang met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Germany.

Informing them of the current socio-economic situations and policies of the State for overseas Vietnamese, the President stressed that the country’s present achievements record the considerable contributions by overseas Vietnamese, including those who are in Germany.

He thanked them for holding practical activities towards the homeland, re-emphasized that overseas Vietnamese communities are an inseparable part of Vietnam, and hoped that the Vietnamese community in Germany would continually support each other and preserve their traditional culture.

Translated by Van Hieu

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