Potential prospects for developing Vietnam-France ties
VOV.VN - There remain plenty of opportunities for the further development of Vietnam-France relations, both at a bilateral level as well as in the international and multilateral arena, in accordance with both nations’ priorities.
Benoit Guidée, Asia and Oceania Director at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, shared his assessment of the past decade and future prospects for the strategic relations in a recent media interview.
The reviewed period has seen the mutual relationship witness numerous changes. After the visit of President François Mitterrand in 1993, France made significant contributions to the cause of Vietnamese socio economic development.
On this solid basis, on September 25, 2013, the two governments decided to upgrade their relationship to that of a strategic partnership in a bid to deepen the co-operative relations between the two countries in the context of the Vietnamese side’s increasingly affirming its role in the regional and international arena.
Regarding the economy, 2013 is also the year that marked the launch of the annual High-Level Economic Dialogue between both sides. Joint efforts in Vietnam’s strategic development fields such as energy, aviation and space, banking, information technology, agricultural products and food, transportation, the environment, and infrastructure have duly been carried out in line with the plan.
Guidée noted that the potential of the relationship is still very large and the two sides need to do more in these areas, particularly by working on the basis set out in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
Along with traditional bilateral ties, Guidée assessed that the partnership has also developed significantly in relation to global issues such as climate change.
He emphasized that the fight against climate change has become a major concern and a key focus of the partnership between the two countries.
“We are working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the devastating consequences of climate change. This is the challenge of the climate and energy transition. Climate change is happening and we are working together on adaptation projects, such as dealing with saltwater intrusion in the Red River Delta and Mekong Delta," he stated.
Guidée also touched upon the impact of the regional and international environment on mutual relations.
According to him, the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic showcases the solidity that exists in the bilateral relationship, as well as the strength of solidarity between the two countries.
"We need to promote dialogue to respond to rapid changes that threaten principles such as multilateralism, respect for international law, and freedom of navigation and aviation," the French expert went on to say.
According to him, the top priority in the two-way dialogue is international peace and security issues. This exchange was effective when Vietnam was elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020 to 2021 term.
The two countries have co-operated in several training and education on peacekeeping activities. “We can do more to contribute to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region, a region where France has a strong presence. France looks forward to further stepping up cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a development partner," he continued.
The second priority is related to global issues, starting with the climate challenge.
According to Guidée, the Fair Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) framework between Vietnam and development partner countries led by the Group of Industrialized Countries (G7) has created a framework for co-operation, in which the French Government, companies and, experts strongly participate in an important topic for the future of Vietnam.
France is destined to work further with Vietnam, especially through the French Development Agency as well as French companies, some of which have globally recognized expertise in sectors such as sustainable city, transport, and low carbon energy.
The third priority concerns economic exchange. Although trade exchanges between the two countries over recent years have continuously been at record highs, Guidée said that these exchanges continue to be unbalanced and have yet to be fully exploited.
The amount of French foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam has so far failed to meet the European nation’s wishes, while Vietnamese investment in France still has many opportunities, especially in the process of environmental and energy transition.
The fourth priority in bilateral relations, according to Guidée, is strengthening the connection between the two peoples.
He emphazised, "The special feature of France-Vietnam relations is the closeness between the two peoples, especially based on the dynamism of decentralized cooperation networks and the important role of France-Vietnam associations."
Other factors are the activities of the Vietnamese student community studying in France and the rich cultural connection network between the two countries, he added.
