Merkel to visit Vietnam

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make an official visit to Vietnam from October 11 - 12 at the invitation of the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, said Luong Thanh Nghi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman. The visit aims to boost multi-faceted and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations in various areas, especially in politics-diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, development cooperation, education and training, as well as common regional and global issues, CPV reported. As planned, the Chancellor will hold talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and other senior Vietnamese leaders, visiting some economic and cultural centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The German Chancellor’s visit is hoped to open a new investment wave from Germany to Vietnam. According to Ms Cornelia Pieper, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, German companies have so far invested over 500 million USD to projects in Vietnam, notably the Ho Chi Minh City metro project.Merkel to visit Vietnam