Germany's new government expected to strengthen ties with ASEAN
Germany aims to elevate ties with ASEAN to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and launch an annual EU–ASEAN consultation mechanism on economic security, especially in sensitive industries like semiconductors and renewable energy.
Germany set to deepen ties with ASEAN under new government (Photo: https:chinaobservers.eu)
Berlin (VNA) – Germany’s incoming coalition government, led by to-be Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is expected to prioritise strengthening economic ties and deepening relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
According to Prof. Dr. Dang Hoang Linh, Counselor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany, Berlin plays a key role in shaping the European Union (EU)’s trade responses, especially to protectionist measures such as US President Donald Trump's tariff policy. Germany's economy, heavily export-driven in sectors like automobiles and machinery, is particularly sensitive to global trade instability.
In response to US threats of tariffs, especially on electric vehicles, Germany has pushed for EU-wide unity and engaged in dialogue with domestic industry associations and major companies like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. It has also revived interest in a transatlantic free trade zone through restarting TTIP (Transatlantic Free Trade Area) negotiations.
Germany is also preparing defensive measures if tariffs materialize, including countermeasures, financial support for affected sectors, and market diversification. It supports retaliatory taxation on US digital services and coordinated EU actions at the WTO.
The new coalition will maintain a “multi-pillar” approach to economic diplomacy, reviving the Indo-Pacific Strategy launched in 2020. ASEAN, with over 680 million people and a combined GDP of 3.6 trillion USD, is viewed as a key growth partner.
Germany is expected to push for ratification and implementation of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), which safeguards German investors. It may also pursue bilateral deals with other ASEAN nations and prioritise strategic sectors like green energy, smart cities, and digital innovation.
Beyond trade, Germany will expand “climate diplomacy” in ASEAN, supporting green hydrogen, carbon markets, and vocational training in clean energy.
𝓀 In the long run, Berlin aims to elevate ties with ASEAN to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and launch an annual EU–ASEAN consultation mechanism on economic security, especially in sensitive industries like semiconductors and renewable energy./.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc on October 10 held a working session with Chairwoman of the Germany-ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group Gabriele Katzmarek as part of his trip to Germany to attend the Hamburg Sustainability Conference.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Germany held the sixth meeting of the Berlin ASEAN Committee (BAC) and a seminar on ASEAN’s position in regional and global architecture on October 5 in Berlin, Germany.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
