Vietnam, France look towards stronger strategic partnership

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son is making an official visit to France from June 5- to June 6 at the invitation of French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna.

At their talks held on June 5, FM Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to its relationship with France, an important member of the EU, and a strategic partner of Vietnam with numerous connections relating history, culture, and people.

Minister Catherine Colonna expressed her impression about Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements and highly appreciated the official visit to the French Republic by FM Bui Thanh Son

This is the first exchange of foreign ministers' delegations between the two countries over the past 10 years, which took place amid both nations celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership.

The two sides rejoiced over the positive developments in bilateral relations in recent times, and wished for closer coordination to take their cooperation between the two countries to a new height.

In terms of politics and diplomacy, the two ministers consented to continue strengthening exchange visits and meetings at all levels in the coming time, especially between both nations’ senior leaders, maintain cooperation mechanisms, including the resumption of the Vice-Ministerial-level Defense Security Strategic Dialogue between the two countries’ ministries of foreign affairs and national defence.

Trade-investment cooperation continues to be an important pillar in the bilateral relationship. The two sides are glad to see that bilateral trade is recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic, with last year’s trade turnover reaching US$5.3 billion, up 10% on-year, and agreed to continue effectively carrying out the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

The Vietnamese diplomat asked the French Government to support and urge the French National Assembly to soon ratify the EVIPA, and the European Commission (EC) to soon remove the EC's yellow card on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for Vietnamese seafood products.

The French minister showed his attention economic cooperation projects between the two countries, especially the Nhon-Hanoi station urban railway project, a symbol of Vietnam-France economic cooperation.

During the talks, the two sides also discussed boosting cooperation in the fields of climate change response, renewable energy, science - technology, education and training.

Both ministers expressed their delight at the comprehensive development between the two countries in the fields of culture, education and healthcare, agreed to coordinate in launching a broad array of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomacy in 2023.

Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested France continue to pay attention to and create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community in France to integrate successfully into the host nation as a contribution to enhancing the role as a bridge connecting the two countries.

The two ministers also compared notes on regional and international issues of shared concern, while affirming their readiness to continue to closely coordinate and support each other at multilateral organizations and forums, especially the United Nations, and promote the framework of the ASEAN - EU strategic partnership.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they shared their stance on ensuring peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the region, and settling disputes by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On this occasion, FM Bui Thanh Son cordially invited Minister Catherine Colonna to pay an official visit to Vietnam, and his invitation was graciously accepted.