Vietnam-France ties grow strong: Ambassador

The ambassador said France has always been one of the leading partners of Vietnam in Europe and the world, adding that France places great importance on Vietnam's position in the region, as evidenced by its ongoing strategies and policies in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific.

According to him, the traditional friendship with deep-rooted historical and cultural connections and the warm sentiments between French and Vietnamese people continue to be fostered and developed among people of all walks of life and circles. The locality-to-locality ties have also expanded, with four editions of the Vietnam-France Decentralised Cooperation Conference held in the past decade serving as evidence of the enduring bonds between the two sides. 

He added that the frequency of high-level visits, phone talks, and meetings on the sideline of international conferences and events has reflected the close political relationship. The two nations share views on many security and development issues of the region and the world, work closely together in multilateral frameworks, actively supported each other in the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change response and jointly promote sustainable development, peace, and stability in the Asia-Pacific and other regions. 

In the bilateral aspect, a series of new agreements and accords have been signed, providing a legal framework for cooperation in priority areas. The mechanisms of exchange in the four core areas of bilateral strategic partnership, namely politics and diplomacy, defence and security; economy-trade-investment, development cooperation, culture, education-training, scientific research, legal and judicial affairs, have been strengthened and are playing a crucial role in shaping future development directions. Both countries are also working on new joint projects, not only in trade and investment but also in technology, high-quality agriculture and environment. Their collaboration is placed within the broader context of relations between France and ASEAN and between Vietnam and the European Union (EU), he said.

About future prospects of bilateral collaboration, Ambassador Thang said achievements made so far, along with rich content and common awareness of the two sides on the vision of bilateral ties provide important foundations for partners of the two sides to continue develop their linkages. 

The two economies are evolving in new directions and continue to complement each other significantly. France continues deploying various important cooperation tools with Vietnam in the economic and development sectors, particularly through the activities of the French Development Agency (AFD). Vietnam also has new connections with France and the region, such as the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Besides, both countries are stepping up numerous higher education and post-graduate training cooperation with hundreds of agreements signed between universities and research centres. Health care cooperation gathers 30 French-Vietnamese medical cooperation associations with regular exchanges. Collaboration in the fields of sci-tech and justice continues to be renewed and expanded, toward meeting new development requirements of both nations on the solid foundation of large-scale programmes and projects.    

In order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership, he said both sides have been carrying out a wide range of exchange and interaction activities across various fields. These include cultural and music activities, high-level visits by leaders of ministries, agencies, localities and businesses; as well as seminars, forums, and discussions to review the journey so far and envision the future of bilateral relations. There are also activities in diplomatic, defence and security, economic-trade-investment, education-training, sci-tech and health care sectors.

Asked about what Vietnam and France should do to elevate bilateral ties in the near future, the ambassador said both countries need to make the most of their current strategic directions and positions. France is a key power in Europe, actively playing a global role, with significant interests and influence in Asia. Vietnam is a rapidly developing and dynamic economy with nearly 100 million people, playing a crucial role in ASEAN and Southeast Asia. The two nations also share many similar viewpoints and interests in international matters, have a common vision for multilateralism, and jointly strive for peace, inclusive and sustainable development. 

The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) should continue to be leveraged as a tool to boost exports-imports. Efforts should continue to be made to capitalise on the strengths of the Vietnamese products such as apparel, leather and footwear, agro and aquatic products in the French market.

Furthermore, it is crucial to adopt more systematic measures to attract French investment into sectors that France has strengths and align with Vietnam's foreign investment directions. French enterprises should also be encouraged to adopt more comprehensive strategies, allocate more resources, and fully utilise their presence in the Vietnamese market to expand into the region, he said.

He also hoped for the active contributions of the younger generations and people from all walks of life from both countries who have been the driving force behind the bilateral relationship over the past years.

Regarding the focus of bilateral coordination in 2023 and the next years, Thang said further facilitating political exchanges at all levels is a crucial direction.

In the Joint Statement during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to France in 2021, both sides agreed to promote high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation to usher in a new phase in strategic high-tech projects. During a phone talk with PM Chinh in November 2022, French PM Elisabeth Borne expressed her desire to cultivate cooperation with Vietnam in digital economy, digital transformation, infrastructure, and especially renewable energy.

The areas of traditional cooperation, especially health care, will continue to be among the top potential sectors, he said, adding that ecological transformation and climate change mitigation have become pervasive themes in France's discussions with Vietnam across all socio-economic sectors. Currently, France gives a high priority to assisting Vietnam in coping with climate change and ecological transformation, encompassing areas of cooperation where France has strengths, such as infrastructure, energy transition, transportation, sustainable infrastructure, and green technology.

He also noted that further attention should be paid to joint work in human resources training and tourism.