Vietnam and France established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level in 1973. France took the lead among Western countries in opening relations with Vietnam, relieving debt and helping Vietnam deal with debt to creditors in the Paris Club.
France is Vietnam’s fifth largest European trading partner, with trade value in 2020 estimated at US$4.81 billion. As of mid-2021, France ranks third among European countries and 16th among countries and territories investing in Vietnam with US$3.6 billion in 605 projects.
France is a leading European ODA donor for Vietnam and Vietnam ranks second among the largest recipients of French ODA in Asia. France always considers education and training as a priority in its cooperative activities in Vietnam, focusing on the teaching and development of the French language, and human resources training. France ranks 7th among the largest investors in tourism in Vietnam, with US$188 million across 14 projects. Vietnam determines France as a key source of foreign tourists.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to France takes place at a time when the two countries are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership in 2023. The visit is expected to help reinforce political trust, deepen the bilateral strategic partnership, helping to promote cooperation in healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry, and implementing vaccine diplomacy.
The visit aims to implement the 13th National Party Congress’s foreign policy of continuing to promote and enhance the effectiveness of external relations and international integration, along with the Secretariat’s Directive 25 on enhancing multilateral external relations until 2030, affirming Vietnam’s policy of maintaining a stable environment to attract foreign investment.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation will attend activities to promote investment, connect Vietnamese and French enterprises, as many French enterprises are looking to invest in aviation, infrastructure and smart cities, renewable energy, and high-tech projects in Vietnam.
As part of the visit, the Vietnamese delegation will have a meeting with the Vietnamese community in France, encouraging them to overcome difficulties, expressing the Party and State’s care for the overseas Vietnamese community while promoting the patriotism of compatriots who are away from the motherland.
Knowledge is the strength of the Vietnamese community in France. There are currently 40,000 Vietnamese with graduate and postgraduate level education in various fields, accounting for 12% of the Vietnamese community in France. The Association of Vietnamese in France is rich in tradition, with numerous contributions to Vietnam’s struggle for independence and national construction.
May Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to France be a great success, bringing the bilateral strategic partnership to new heights.
