Vietnam, France ready to share experience in COVID-19 fight
VOV.VN - Vietnam and France have agreed to share experience in the COVID-19 pandemic fight, and help each other with COVID-19 vaccines.
Vietnam desires to further promote the time-honoured, trustworthy and strategic partnership with France, a leading partner of the nation in Europe, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, said during his online talks with French PM Jean Castex on June 14.
During the talks, the Vietnamese cabinet leader rejoiced over the fruitful developments of the bilateral ties between the two nations over the past time, while the French PM applauded the strategic partnership and highlighted Vietnam as a leading partner of France in the region.
The French PM hailed Vietnam’s position and role in the region and the world, particularly the major achievements the country has recorded in COVID-19 containment efforts and socio-economic development.
Both sides consented to share experience in the pandemic fight, help each other with COVID-19 vaccines and work together on economic recovery after the pandemic.
They agreed to boost closer coordination to optimise the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and speed up the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
The leaders concurred to facilitate the export of Vietnamese agricultural and fishery products to France, especially fruits that are under harvest like lychee, mango, dragon fruit and passion fruit.
The pair also called for joint efforts to urge the EC to remove its “yellow card” on Vietnam’s fisheries, helping the country’s fishery sector develop in a sustainable way.
The PMs agreed to assign competent agencies to boost effective cooperation in aerospace, energy, national defence and security, sustainable city building, infrastructure development, and culture.
The Vietnamese government leader called on the French government to further support the Vietnamese community in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leaders also highlighted the effective coordination between Vietnam and France at multilateral forums over the past time, notably the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), ASEAN and the Francophonie, and agreed to ramp up coordination in regional and global issues in the coming time.
With regard to the East Sea issue, they shared the view on the significance of ensuring the freedom of navigation, aviation, security and peace in the waters, as well as the role of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Both PMs also exchanged invitations to visit their respective nations in the near future.