German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse Elke Büdenbender landed in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, commencing a two-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse.

They were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Tran Sy Thanh, Vietnamese Ambassador in Germany Vu Quang Minh, and other top Vietnamese officials.

The German president’s entourage includes Dörte Dinger, head of the Office of the Federal President, Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany, German Foreign Office Minister of State Tobias Lindner, Michael Kellner, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, among other top officials.

Steinmeier’s Vietnam trip marks the second state visit by a foreign leader to the Southeast Asian nation in January.

This also marks President Steinmeier's first state visit to Vietnam since assuming office in 2017.

The visit takes place as the two countries are nearing 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Vietnam is German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s first overseas destination in 2024. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

He visited the country in March 2008 during his tenure as German Foreign Minister and in October 2016 when he served as Germany's Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister.

Former President of Germany Horst Kohler paid a visit to Vietnam in May 2007.

The German president and his spouse are scheduled to attend a welcome ceremony hosted by his Vietnamese counterpart on Tuesday afternoon.

The two leaders will hold talks and witness the signing of several cooperation agreements.

President Steinmeier’s Vietnam trip, accompanied by multiple major German companies, is meant to strengthen the partnership between the two nations in the economic and commercial realms.

Steinmeier and his delegation will travel to Ho Chi Minh City and its neighboring localities on Wednesday.

He will also visit some projects invested by German firms in the southern metropolis.

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