Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)

During the trip, the Deputy FM met with First Vice President of the French National Assembly Carole Bureau-Bonnard, head of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Group Stephanie Do, diplomatic adviser to the Prime Minister Emmanuel Lenain, Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, together with representatives from the Movement of the Enterprises of France, MEDEF.

Deputy FM Son highlighted the benefits of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) to bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation. He called on France and relevant EU agencies to push for the early signing and ratification of the EVFTA and IPA within the current tenure of the European Parliament, thus quickly realizing potential benefits.

French government and parliament leaders expressed their wish to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam and pledged to work with Vietnam in preparations for visits of the two countries’ leaders this year. Agreeing on the benefits of the EVFTA to Vietnam-EU cooperation in economic trade and investment, the French stated that they will join EU member countries in soon making the agreement a reality.