The Vietnamese Embassy in France held a ceremony to mark the 42nd anniversary of the Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30) in Paris on April 28.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung highlighted the significant contributions of overseas Vietnamese and French friends to the cause of national liberation and reunification as well as current building and development.

The April 30 victory marks a turning point in the history of Vietnam, ushering in an era of independence, freedom, development and socialism, he said.

He expressed his gratitude to French friends who provided both material and spiritual assistance for Vietnam and stood side by side with the country during the anti-American resistance war.

The diplomat also hailed Vietnamese expatriates in France for making remarkable contributions to the national development and serving as a bridge to promote relations between the two countries.

The bilateral strategic partnership, which was established in September 2013, has witnessed major strides, proven by the official visit to France by former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in November 2015 to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-21) in Paris, and the State-level visit to Vietnam by President Francois Hollande in September 2016, he said.

The Vietnam War Veteran Association in Russia on April 29 also held a ceremony to celebrate the event.

On April 30, the Vietnamese in Cambodia also gathered in a meeting to mark the day.

VNA