(VOVWORLD) - Party General Secretary and President To Lam and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the upgrade of relations between the two countries to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during their talks in Paris on Monday, making France the first country in the European Union to establish this partnership with Vietnam.
 Party General Secretary and President To Lam and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Oct.7, 2024 (photo: Tri Dung/VNA) |
Both sides also aligned on major directions and measures to ensure this partnership deepens and becomes more practical, fitting the new context of Vietnam-France cooperation. The two leaders vowed to effectively implement existing cooperation agreements, soon hold the Vietnam-France Defence Strategy and Cooperation Dialogue, assist in the training of officers, share experiences in crime prevention and control, and support each other at global and regional security forums.
On economic and trade matters, they pledged to continue promoting concessional loans and Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Vietnam and encouraging businesses to fully realise the benefits of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
The Vietnamese leader urged France to expedite the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and sought France's support in advocating for the European Commission to lift the "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood exports.
 Party General Secretary and President To Lam and French President Emmanuel Macron held talks in Paris on Oct.7, 2024. (photo: Tri Dung/VNA) |
President Macron confirmed his commitment to recommending EVIPA ratification to the French Parliament promptly. He also praised Vietnam's commitment to the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and green transition initiatives.
Both leaders agreed to strengthen joint work in areas of potential synergy and French expertise, including infrastructure, aerospace, sci-tech, renewable, and hydrogen energy.
President Macron welcomed Vietnam's efforts in responding to climate change. Lam highly appreciated France's leading role in the fight against climate change and expressed his hope that the two sides will continue to cooperate in developing ecosystem-based models on the basis of ensuring harmony of interests.
The French leader highly valued the role of the Vietnamese community in France as an important bridge between the two countries, and affirmed that he will continue to create favourable conditions for them to live and work in France.
Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides reaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation, and resolving disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).