Vietnam, France pledge to strengthen strategic partnership

By Nhu Tam   March 27, 2018 | 07:33 pm PT
Vietnam, France pledge to strengthen strategic partnership
French President Emmanuel Macron (R) welcomes Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 27, 2018. Photo by AFP/Ludovic Marin.
Vietnam's Communist Party chief is eager to expand cooperation with France.

Vietnamese Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed ways to deepen their strategic partnership during talks on Tuesday aimed at opening a new phase of development for bilateral relations.

Macron asked Vietnam to create favorable conditions for French businesses, while stepping up cooperation in defense, security, legislative work and civil servant training.

Both sides agreed to significantly increase bilateral trade, promote cooperation in telecommunications, energy, aviation, environment and climate change, and help businesses gain access to each other's markets.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation in science and technology, healthcare, research, education and training, with Macron calling for the opening of a French school in Vietnam.

Trong and Macron both pledged to finalize and ratify the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement in 2018, creating a new momentum for economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and France as well as the European Union.

Discussing regional and international issues, the two leaders agreed that disputes must be resolved through peaceful means in accordance with international laws.

Trong was on an official visit to France to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this April.

During the three-day visit, Trong and Vietnamese business representatives also met with the chairman of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF) to discuss boosting economic ties to match the scale of the two countries' diplomatic relations.

In 2017, bilateral trade volume between Vietnam and France exceeded $4.6 billion, up 11.6 percent from 2016, according to Vietnam News Agency.

Vietnam's main exports to France include electrical and electronic equipment, footwear, garments and textiles, household appliances, agricultural and aquatic products. It mainly imports pharmaceuticals, machinery and vehicles from France.

 
 
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