Joint Statement between Vietnam and France

Photo caption

General Secretary To Lam meets with French President Emmanuel Macron. Photo: Thong Nhat/TTXVN

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) is pleased to present the full text of the Joint Statement below:

Against the backdrop of continued international tensions and following the upgrading of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on October 7, 2024, during General Secretary To Lam's official visit to the Republic of France, the two leaders reaffirmed their desire to deepen the trusted partnership between Vietnam and France to enhance the independence, self-reliance, and development of each side, particularly through increased exchanges of high-level and other delegations, as well as improving the effectiveness of cooperation and dialogue mechanisms between the two countries, in the spirit of respecting the United Nations Charter and its principles, sharing a common desire to ensure the stability and prosperity of the world order, and a determination to find ambitious solutions and work together to address global challenges.

On this occasion, the two leaders welcomed the fact that the two countries will soon adopt and agree to closely coordinate the implementation of the Action Plan for the period 2025-2028 to implement the Joint Declaration on upgrading Vietnam-France relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, in order to further deepen and enhance bilateral relations, meeting the aspirations of the people of both countries.

Vietnam and France reiterated the essential role of multilateralism, with the United Nations at its center; and reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Charter, which particularly emphasizes the importance of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, key elements for the development of each nation. Both countries committed to strengthening coordination and consultation at international forums and organizations, including the United Nations and the International Organization of Francophonie.

Vietnam and France support strengthening relations between Vietnam and the European Union (EU), as well as the ASEAN-France Development Partnership and the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership.

Vietnam and France reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting international peace , security, and stability.

Vietnam and France reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea, as well as their commitment to fully respecting the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both countries emphasized that the Convention establishes the legal framework for all activities related to the seas and oceans, and holds strategic importance as the foundation for ocean-related activities and cooperation at the national, regional, and international levels. Therefore, protecting the integrity of the Convention is essential. Vietnam and France reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes between states and resolutely oppose any threat or use of force contrary to international law. Both countries reaffirmed the importance of maintaining unimpeded freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as the right of innocent passage in the South China Sea and globally. The two countries called on countries in the region to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and supported all regional efforts to achieve a truly effective, substantive, and internationally compliant Code of Conduct (COC), particularly in accordance with UNCLOS, as soon as possible.

French President Emmanuel Macron presented France's efforts to achieve a complete and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine as soon as possible. Both countries emphasized the importance of achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, in accordance with international law and based on the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.

Vietnam and France reaffirmed the paramount importance of respecting the independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of all nations.

Vietnam and France have once again expressed their desire to establish peace and security stability in the Middle East. Both countries called for and committed to cooperation in seeking a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, with the prerequisite of achieving a sustainable ceasefire. Vietnam and France reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the two-state solution, as it is the only solution that meets the legitimate aspirations for peace and security of both the Palestinian and Israeli people.

Vietnam and France reaffirmed their desire to strengthen the independence, self-reliance, and development of each country, particularly through:

- Developing relations in the field of defense aims to strengthen the strategic autonomy of each country, in accordance with the needs of each side, especially through enhanced cooperation in the field of defense equipment with research, proposal and implementation of structural projects, as well as promoting cooperation on historical memory and in United Nations peacekeeping operations, contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world. Vietnam and France welcome the signing of the Letter of Intent between the Minister of Defense of Vietnam and the Minister of the Armed Forces of France;

- Continue to strengthen cooperation in combating crime, illegal immigration and illegal migration, as well as cooperation in the field of civil security protection;

- To promote an international trade environment geared towards shared prosperity and in bilateral relations, continue to fully implement the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union (EVFTA), including market access and intellectual property protection, and jointly commit to supporting the ratification of the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). France agrees to support Vietnam in implementing a legal framework against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and in deploying a rigorous and effective fisheries inspection and monitoring system in accordance with current European and international regulations;

- Strengthening cooperation in strategic areas, especially infrastructure, urban connectivity, rail transport, aviation, space, geology and minerals, non-carbon energy, including renewable and nuclear energy, non-carbon hydrogen and its derivatives, as well as cooperation in training high-quality human resources in science, technology and innovation, especially in research and application of high technology and strategic technologies.

The two sides exchanged views on projects in the transport sector and agreed to explore prospects for cooperation in this area. France reaffirmed its readiness to support the restart of Vietnam's nuclear power program as well as the sustainable exploitation of mineral resources.

France encourages Vietnam to participate in French initiatives and action programs on artificial intelligence (AI) and supports the training of high-quality human resources in this field for Vietnam. Vietnam and France welcome the consensus adoption of the United Nations General Assembly's Convention against Cybercrime and the upcoming signing ceremony in Hanoi in October 2025.

Vietnam and France are committed to maintaining and strengthening cooperation in the field of healthcare.

Vietnam and France reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the goals set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change ten years after its adoption in 2015. Both countries also reaffirmed their support for the conclusions of the first Global Stability Assessment (GST) adopted at COP28, particularly the gradual transition away from fossil fuels. France welcomed Vietnam's ambitious goals of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and striving to eliminate coal-fired power generation by 2050. France will continue to support Vietnam's efforts to achieve these goals, especially within the framework of the Partnership for a Just Energy Transition (JETP). Within this cooperation framework, both countries particularly welcomed the implementation of the first two projects funded by the French Development Agency. Vietnam and France support the implementation of the Coal Transition Acceleration Initiative (CTA).

Vietnam and France are committed to strengthening ocean protection on a global scale and support the hosting of the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Ocean (UNOC), co-chaired by France and Costa Rica. France welcomes Vietnam's initiation of procedures to ratify the Agreement under the provisions of the Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in the Area Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). Vietnam and France believe that the early entry into force of the Agreement will demonstrate the strong commitment of nations to protecting biodiversity and hope that this can be announced at the next UNOC. At the same time, the two countries reaffirmed their determination to implement and achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in 2022, especially the “30x30” goal to protect 30% of the world's land area and 30% of its sea area by 2030. Vietnam and France called for active negotiations on an agreement aimed at signing, ratifying, and implementing a legally binding international instrument related to plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, at the Intergovernmental Conference on the Global Agreement on Plastic Pollution, Session 5.2 (INC-5.2), in August 2025 in Geneva.

Vietnam and France reaffirmed the essential importance of people-to-people exchanges in their bilateral relations. Both countries committed to strongly promoting exchanges between the people of the two countries through enhanced cooperation in the fields of culture, health, higher education, agriculture and environment, science and innovation, particularly through student and researcher exchange programs within the framework of the new Hubert Curien Partnership, as well as the teaching of French and Vietnamese, and all other forms of cooperation that contribute to enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the two countries, including international volunteer programs in accordance with Vietnamese law. Vietnam and France agreed to continue developing Vietnamese-French university programs implemented in Vietnam to train high-quality scientific and technological human resources and cooperate in the development of cutting-edge technologies.

VNA/News and Ethnic Groups Newspaper

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/tuyen-bo-chung-viet-nam-phap-20250527184252716.htm