PM Phuc meets French President in Hanoi

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with visiting French President François Hollande in Hanoi on September 6, during which he stated that the Vietnamese Government would continue its efforts to foster its partnership with France in all fields and make the ties between the two countries deeper and more effective.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) welcomes French President Francois Hollande in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) welcomes French President Francois Hollande in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Expressing his delight at the growth of the Vietnam–France strategic partnership over the past few years, the PM proposed that both sides focus on boosting co-operation in France’s areas of strength, including infrastructure development, advanced technology, energy, aerospace, healthcare and pharmaceutics.

Particularly, both sides should strengthen their co-operation in technology transfers and training in satellite manufacturing, an area on which the two countries are working together, he said.

The two countries should also work more closely on sustainable development, such as on technologies for environmental protection and green agriculture, he suggested, adding that Vietnam encouraged French enterprises to invest in green projects in Vietnam.

He also asked for France’s support for Vietnam’s implementation of its Paris Climate Conference (COP 21) commitments.

Vietnam has risen from poverty to become a middle-income country, but it still faces many challenges, such as climate change, rising sea levels, natural disasters, epidemics and environment pollution, he said, calling on France to continue providing ODA to Vietnam, especially for infrastructure development, climate change response and poverty reduction.

The PM also suggested that the two sides further bolster their co-operation on trade and investment, with the aim of doubling their two-way trade turnover from the modest US$4.2 billion of 2015.

At the same time, both sides should also enhance co-operation on culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges, and also ties between local administrations.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc shared France’s concern about terrorism and expressed sympathy for France over the great losses terrorists have inflicted upon it.

The Vietnamese Government leader asked that France support ASEAN’s stance of ensuring peace, stability, security, and maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea, as well as its calls for settling East Sea issues by peaceful means in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On his part, President François Hollande affirmed that France was keen on further developing its co-operation with Vietnam in all fields, especially in politics, economics, trade and investment, as well as responding to climate change and rising sea levels.

He said he was being accompanied by many business leaders on this visit who wanted to seek partnerships and investment opportunities in Vietnam, which demonstrated French businesses’ interest in developing ties with Vietnam.

Stressing that France always prioritises its economic partnership with Vietnam, he requested that the country create favourable conditions for French investment.

At the same time, France was also keen on enhancing bilateral co-operation in science and technology, technology transfers, education and training and agriculture and pharmaceutics, together with boosting cultural and people-to-people exchanges so as to increase mutual understanding between the two nations, he stated.

He also underscored that his country would continue assisting Vietnam in fields where Vietnam has needs, including coping with climate change and rising sea levels and protecting the environment.