Ambassador confident of extensive co-operation between Vietnam and France
VOV.VN - There will be more room to foster all-round co-operation between Vietnam and France following Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s November 3-5 visit to France, believes Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang.
PM Chinh’s visit is of special significance as it is taking place at a time when Vietnam is realizing the Party’s foreign policy of strengthening and deepening relations with major partners. Therefore, the visit is anticipated to lay the foundation for concrete co-operation programmes in the future between both sides, Ambassador Thang told Paris-based VOV correspondents.
Most notably, France represents a major Vietnamese partner in Europe and the wider world. Bilateral relations have been developing positively and substantially since the two countries established their strategic partnership back in 2013.
During the visit, PM Chinh is scheduled to hold talks with his French counterpart Jean Castex and meet with other senior French officials in order to discuss ways in which to enhance bilateral co-operation and to address global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change adaptation.
Both sides are likely to sign a number of important co-operation agreements across various fields during PM Chinh’s visit, revealed Ambassador Thang.
Medical co-operation represents one of the pillars in terms of bilateral relations, and this matter will be given top priority during high-level talks and meetings in Paris, said the diplomat.
PM Chinh is expected to suggest co-operation with France in vaccine production and technology transfer in order to help the country combat the spread of COVID-19. He will also visit pharmaceutical and medical research facilities to outline co-operation directions in disease prevention and control for COVID-19 and other related diseases that may break out in the future.
According to the diplomat, France is a developed country which has a high level of scientific and technological development which Vietnam should make full use of.
France possesses global leading corporations, meaning the country should create a positive investment environment in a bid to attract greater French investment, said Ambassador Thang.
In his view, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which came into effect in August 2020, has presented plenty of opportunity to boost trade exchanges between both sides.
Now is time for partners from the two sides to discuss how to better exploit the potential and benefits that this trade pact can bring for both French and Vietnamese businesses, said the ambassador.
