New chapter open for Vietnam-France relationship

The leaders told the press following their talks that they also consented to enhance mutual political trust, step up strategic cooperation and create marked changes to improve the efficiency of bilateral cooperation across fields in order to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries. 

The two countries will intensify high-level exchanges and meetings, and raise the efficiency of cooperation and dialogue mechanisms, expand and strengthen collaboration in all spheres, and at all levels, while closely coordinating with each other on regional and international issues of shared concern. 

They will continue to create the best possible conditions for businesses and investors of both sides to scale up their operation in the respective countries, especially in the areas of France’s strength and Vietnam’s demands, aiming to make the economic links on par with their fruitful political ties. 

Party General Secretary Trong said enhancing the Vietnam-France relationship matches the demand and interest of the two countries’ people, noting that Vietnam and France are the important partner of each other. 

Highlighting the close-knit relations between the two countries although they are in different continents, the leader said the relationship has developed fruitfully over the past 45 years.

The establishment of the strategic partnership five years ago has opened up new opportunities for the two countries to elevate the bilateral ties to a new height, he added. 

He called on the French side to keep doors open for Vietnamese goods and French businesses to increase their investment in Vietnam.

Co-chairing the press conference, President Macron thanked Party General Secretary Trong for selecting France as the first European nation to visit during his second term in office. 

Stressing Vietnam’s important position in the region and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the President said Vietnam will be a friend who helps France increase its presence in the region. 

The leader expressed his hope for stronger cooperation with Vietnam in all spheres, ranging from politics, economy, trade and investment to culture, education, tourism, science and climate change, urging the two countries to intensify the exchange, experience sharing and cooperation between their legislative bodies, and place young generations at the centre of the bilateral ties. 

Macron said he hopes that with cooperation documents signed during Party General Secretary Trong’s visit, the bilateral relationship will make great strides in the time to come. 

Following their talks, the leaders witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation agreement, including a statement on cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training and the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and a letter of intention on tourism cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. 

Other documents are a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the French Development Agency (AFD), another MoU between Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and the AFD, and a cooperation programme between the two justice ministries for 2018-2019. 

Another MoU was also signed by Vietnam’s T&T Group and Bouygues Group of France on cooperation in investment in the 1.4 billion EUR (US$1.7 billion) urban railway project No. 3 connecting Hanoi’s centre with it suburb town of Son Tay.

On this occasion, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh also handed an investment licence to Son My 1 thermal power plant of France’s EDF Group.