General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong and his entourage arrived in Paris on March 26 morning, beginning the official visit to France.

At the welcome ceremony

A welcome ceremony was solemnly held in rituals for a head of state.

Later, the Party chief headed to the southeastern outlying city of Choisy Le Roi in Val-de-Marne department, Ile-de-France administrative region. The city witnessed negotiations on the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam from May 1968 to March 1973. 

Choisy Le Roi has formed twinning relationship with Hanoi’s Dong Da district since 1973 and assisted the district in building schools and medical stations. 

Party General Secretary Trong visited the square named “Paris Agreement” which was inaugurated in 2013 on the occasion of the 40th signing anniversary of Paris Agreement, and met French friends. 

In his speech, Governor of Choisy Le Roi city Didier Guillaume recalled that 45 years ago, the city launched a movement in support of Vietnam and its struggle against imperialists and the use of massive destruction weapons, which helped put an end to the inexcusable war. 

He said friendship with Vietnam proves the city’s determination to maintain core values of humanity. 

French friends said though 45 years passed, they are still proud of making part of contributions to Vietnam’s war for justice in the past. 

Party chief Trong expressed his delight at visiting Choisy Le Roi city on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, the fifth anniversary of Vietnam – France strategic partnership and the 45th signing anniversary of Paris Agreement. 

He extended the most sincere thanks to French friends and lauded the city’s administration for maintaining relic sites linked with Paris Agreement negotiations and signing, saying that they are ever-lasting symbols of Vietnam – France friendship. 

The same day, he met young Vietnamese intellectuals in France, who wished that they would make further contributions to the nation. 

Trong affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam always appreciate intelligentsia, consider overseas Vietnamese intellectuals an invaluable resource for the nation, and frequently issue suitable policies and mechanisms to further uphold their contributions to national development.

VN, France urged to make economic ties on par with political bonds

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (L) welcomed by President of France’s National Assembly Francois de Rugy 

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong asked Vietnam and France to bring their cooperation, especially in trade and investment, on par with their political ties while meeting with President of France’s National Assembly Francois de Rugy in Paris on March 26.

The Party leader expressed his wish that the two countries promote cooperation in culture, education and training, which are potential fields for bilateral cooperation.

He thanked the French National Assembly for sharing experience in legislative work, monitoring and supporting human resources training.

He said he hopes that France’s legislative body will continue working with Vietnam, especially in the context that Vietnam is tweaking its legal system and enhancing the role of the National Assembly and elected bodies.

Rugy expressed his admiration of Vietnam’s development achievements and its emerging position in the region and the world. 

Hailing the 45 years of diplomatic relations between France and Vietnam, the French legislator said that the visit of General Secretary Trong will contribute to cooperation between the two countries to make it match their five-year-old strategic partnership framework.

The two leaders lauded cooperation in the past years between the two legislative bodies, while agreeing that the parliaments should continue to increase the exchange of delegations in order to learn from each other.

The Party chief suggested the French National Assembly support and ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement soon.

He took the occasion to invite Rugy to visit Vietnam on behalf of Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Vietnam's Party leader meets French Prime Minister

Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) shakes hands with French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe 

The Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong had a meeting in Paris on March 26 with the French Prime Minister, Édouard Philippe, as part of his current official visit to the European country.

The head of the French government lauded Trong’s current visit, considering it an important milestone in promoting the strategic partnership links between the two countries.

Both sides shared delight at the quality and dynamism of Vietnam-France cooperation in various fields, from politics, diplomacy, economics, security and defense to culture, health, science, education, training, law and justice, and collaboration among localities.

They affirmed their desire to deepen the strategic partnership in the new period, agreeing to improve the exchange of information and contacts, especially high-level ones, to increase the effectiveness of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in all areas, especially in the economy, and to strengthen coordination in regional and international forums.

They emphasised that economic cooperation always plays a very important role in bilateral relations, and agreed to strengthen economic, commercial and investment ties in order to match with ties in politics and culture.

PM Philippe expressed his satisfaction with the signing of contracts and economic collaboration documents during this visit, and stated that the French government will promote the implementation of inked projects and agreements.

The government will encourage and create favourable conditions for French provinces and companies to expand cooperation for mutual benefits with Vietnamese ones, he stressed. He wanted the Vietnamese government to facilitate French companies to invest in the Southeast Asian country.

For his part, Trong suggested that the two sides should make more efforts to promote the potential of economic cooperation and the effective implementation of projects.

He affirmed that Vietnam is willing to facilitate the participation of French companies in its industrialisation and modernisation, and ready to be a bridge for them to access the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Host and guest expressed their desire to accelerate the signing and ratification of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union in 2018, thus creating a new impetus for economic, commercial and investment cooperation between Vietnam and France and the EU.

The Vietnamese Party leader asked the French government to increase support and cooperation in the field of training and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living in France.

On this occasion, Party General Secretary Trong invited PM Philippe to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. The PM received the acceptance with pleasure.

Party chief meets French Senate President

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong met with President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher on March 26 afternoon (local time) as part of his official visit to France.

They were pleased to witness the development of two countries' relations in various areas, while speaking highly important contributions of the two countries' parliaments to strengthening friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations and peoples.

Senate President Larcher affirmed France attaches importance to Vietnam's position and role as well as the relations between the two countries.

He wished for the further development of multi-faceted cooperation between France and Vietnam, thus contributing to deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Trong affirmed Vietnam always attaches importance to the relations with France, and wishes to further intensify economic, trade and investment ties between the two countries, while expanding cooperation in other fields.

He welcomed contributions of parliamentarians to promoting collaboration between the countries’ localities, urging the two sides to closely coordinate to organise the 11th conference on local cooperation in Toulouse city in 2019.

The Senate President supported Trong’s proposal on boosting bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and investment, and wished to increase affiliation in French language training and promotion in Vietnam

He affirmed to accelerate the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement after the deal is signed, creating a driving force for economic cooperation between Vietnam and France as well as and other European Union countries.

At the meeting, host and guest discussed regional and international issues of common concern.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong conveyed the invitation of Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Senate President Larcher to visit Vietnam at a convenient time. The later accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Vietnam, France mark 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties in Paris

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the ceremony. 

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and French National Assembly (NA) President Francois de Rugy attended a ceremony to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and France at the NA’s headquarters in Paris on March 26 afternoon (local time). 

Addressing the event, NA President de Rugy said Vietnam and France set up diplomatic ties on April 13, 1973, opening up a new page in the bilateral relationship. In the following years, France overcame difficulties to accompany Vietnam during the country’s struggle for national liberation and national reunification. 

The legislator affirmed that Vietnam is France’s important partner in Southeast Asia which is developing dynamically. 

In 2013, the two countries signed a strategic partnership and cooperated in various realms, from politics to economics, culture, education, science, the parliamentary channel, military and strategy. 

The French leader described Vietnam as a pillar of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with high growth, adding that the country’s GDP increased 15 times over the past 30 years. 

He highlighted the increasing presence of French businesses in Vietnam, as well as the number of up to about 7,000 Vietnamese students in France. 

Besides, Vietnam and France have joined hands in coping with global challenges such as climate change in the Mekong and Red River Deltas, the leader said. 

In his remarks, Party General Secretary Trong emphasised that since the two countries established diplomatic ties 45 years ago, France has remained Vietnam’s leading partner in Europe and the world at large. 

The Vietnam-France relationship is always among the priorities of Vietnam’s foreign policy, he stated.

Trong stressed diverse cooperation between Vietnam and France, both bilaterally and multilaterally, allowing the two countries to consult each other and share their viewpoints on many regional and international issues. 

He also noted the diverse exchange of culture between the two countries over the past time. 

France is not only Vietnam’s leading European sponsor but also its cooperation partner in various spheres, the Party chief said, adding that priorities have been given to bilateral collaboration in education and scientific research. 

He cited hundreds of agreements signed between Vietnamese and French universities and research institutes.

Cooperation between the two countries’ localities has also been expanded with the participation of 20 French localities and 15 cities and provinces of Vietnam. 

Vietnam and France established a strategic partnership five years ago, demonstrating their mutual political trust, he said, underlining enhanced bilateral coordination in regional and international issues. 

Party General Secretary Trong called on the two countries to scale up efforts in order to deepen the strategic partnership, increase their political trust and high-level exchanges and meetings, improve the efficiency of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, step up affiliation in all fields, expand people-to-people exchange, enhance cooperation between localities and intensify coordination in regional and international issues of shared concern. 

The two leaders then witnessed the signing of six cooperation documents, comprising a letter of intention on universe technology between Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology and France’s Airbus Defence and Space, a cooperation programme in 2018 between Vietnam’s Justice Ministry and the Supreme Council of Notary of France , a the agreement on research and planning of maritime natural resources between Vietnam’s Academy of  Science and Technology and the French Research Institute for Development. 

The others are a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in intellectual property between Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Department and France’s National Industrial Property Institute, an agreement between Vietnam Airlines and Air France and Air France Industry KLM Engineering and Maintenance of France, and anther MoU on purchasing 24 aircraft between Bamboo Airline, FLC of Vietnam and France’s Airbus.

VNA