Vietnamese, French leaders vow to step up partnership

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and French President Francois Hollande (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese Party leader proposed France establish further connections in such fields as economics, trade, investment and technological transfers, especially in agriculture, as well as in climate change adaptation, culture and education.

He also confirmed that Vietnam always prioritises developing its friendship and co-operation with France, suggesting the two countries enhance multi-faceted collaboration, experience-sharing, and mutual support at international forums while maintaining current co-operation mechanisms.

The French President agreed that the two sides would increase political ties, cultural exchanges and education, especially the teaching of French in Vietnam.

Both nations should strengthen co-ordination in dealing with global issues and should make a joint effort to ensure regional peace, stability and overflight and maritime security and freedom, he said.

He shared international security challenges for Vietnam and France and said he backed aviation and navigational freedom as well as the settlement of maritime disputes via peaceful means and international law.

On the same day, the President was received by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, during which time he said France wanted to step up co-operative ties with Vietnam and pledged to maintain official development assistance (ODA) to the Southeast Asian country.

He suggested the two countries’ legislative agencies increase exchanges of high-level delegations and expressed his belief that the National Assembly of Vietnam would provide the best legal assistance to effectively implement bilateral cooperation agreements.

He revealed that France would expand collaboration in the fields of climate change, information technology, culture and education while helping Vietnam build and modernise its cities and persify its energy resources.

Vietnam and France are set to promote co-operation in economics, trade, aerospace, renewable energy, agriculture, and food processing, he said, showing support for the development of rapport between local administrations and Francophonie members, and of some applicable co-operation mechanisms in Africa and other regions in the world.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan thanked France for helping Vietnam develop a climate change adaptation strategy and implement the UN Agenda through 2030.

The top legislator thanked French parliamentarians for actively coordinating with Vietnam at the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) and the seventh Asia–Pacific meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF).

She suggested the French Government increase scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in France, noting that over 7,000 were pursuing education in the European country.

She highlighted co-operation among local administrations as a unique feature of bilateral relations, noting 38 French localities had set up co-operative and pair ties with eighteen Vietnamese cities and provinces.

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is actively preparing for the tenth cooperation conference between local administrations in Vietnam and France, she noted.

On the same day, the two countries issued a joint statement on President François Hollande’s state visit to Vietnam from September 5-7, asserting that economic co-operation remained a prioritised pillar in bilateral relations.