Further promoting the Vietnam - France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Taking place just eight months after the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, the State visit to Vietnam by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife is of great significance, promoting the Vietnam-France relationship to a new height.

President Emmanuel Macron. Photo: AFP

Vietnam and France established diplomatic relations on April 12, 1973. However, before that, France had opened a representative office in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam after the Geneva Agreement in 1954 as a Delegation. The long history of relations and extensive cooperation in all fields has created a solid foundation to elevate the relationship between the two countries to a Strategic Partnership on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (2013).

In October 2024, General Secretary andPresident To Lam paid an official visit to the French Republic and the two countries issued a Joint Statement on upgrading Vietnam-France relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; France became the first EU country to have the highest level of relations with Vietnam. The two countries maintain many diverse bilateral cooperation mechanisms; closely coordinate and support each other at international forums and organizations.

Economically , France is also Vietnam's 5th largest European trading partner (after the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and Italy). Of which, the trade turnover in 2024 will reach 5.42 billion USD, an increase of 12.9% compared to 2023 (4.81 billion USD); at the same time, it ranks 16th out of 147 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 700 valid investment projects, the total registered investment capital reaching nearly 4 billion USD.

The French Republic is also the leading European bilateral ODA donor to Vietnam, focusing on the fields of infrastructure, technology transfer, agriculture, green industry and finance….

General Secretary and President To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation began an official visit to the French Republic at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron in October 2024.

France and Vietnam are currently also having many important cooperations. Regarding security and defense cooperation, France is the first Western country to have a defense attaché in Vietnam. Regarding cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, education and training, culture, etc., the two countries have signed many important cooperation agreements.

Notably, in the field of local cooperation, the two countries have successfully coordinated to organize 12 rotating meetings in France and Vietnam, the most recent of which was in Hanoi in April 2023. Currently, the Vietnamese community in France has about 350,000 people, including many components and the majority of whom have acquired French nationality, are well integrated into society and have a long tradition and attachment to the country.

The close and lasting Vietnam-France cooperative relationship throughout history has created momentum for the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and France today. The French President's choice of Vietnam as the first stop on his visit to Southeast Asia clearly demonstrates his special interest in Vietnam; once again affirming the strong development of bilateral relations as well as the good framework of relations that the two countries have established.

With this important State visit to Vietnam by President Macron, on the basis of a trustworthy partnership, Vietnam and the French Republic will strongly strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all fields, from politics to economics, scientific research, education, culture, defense as well as global profiles.

After the official welcoming ceremony on the morning of May 26, the high-level meetings between the leaders of Vietnam and the French Republic will be an opportunity to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between France and Vietnam. This will be concretized through new cooperation projects between the two countries. Through this, Vietnam and the French Republic affirm their determination to work together to build a modern, dynamic and mutually beneficial partnership that will benefit the people of both countries.

Butterfly/VOV1

Source: https://vov.vn/chinh-tri/thuc-day-hon-nua-quan-he-doi-tac-chien-luoc-toan-dien-viet-nam-phap-post1202105.vov