State visit creates new impulse for Vietnam–France strategic partnership

NDO/VNA—French President François Hollande’s visit to Vietnam would provide an impetus for the countries’ strategic partnership to develop more substantively, President Tran Dai Quang told media on September 6.

Presidents Tran Dai Quang and Francois Hollande (Photo: VNA)
Presidents Tran Dai Quang and Francois Hollande (Photo: VNA)

He and the visiting leader held a joint press conference following their talks in Hanoi on September 6.

President Quang noted that during the talks, he and his guest expressed the shared view that the strategic partnership, set up in 2013, had been growing effectively in all fields, from politics and diplomacy, security and defence, trade and investment and development co-operation to education and training, science and technology and cultural exchanges.

The two agreed that Vietnam and France needed to develop a long-term vision for co-operation that could ensure their common interests. To do that, political connections needed first to be tightened.

“We will encourage our businesses to establish economic and industrial partnerships on the basis of technology transfers and mutual benefit,” President Quang said, noting that the two sides would pay special attention to key projects in infrastructure, aviation, agriculture, food processing, healthcare and the environment.

He announced that France would be the country of honour at the 2017 Vietnam Foodexpo, slated to be held in Ho Chi Minh City.

The two leaders agreed to enhance defence co-operation through dialogue on defence strategy, the procurement of military equipment and visits by naval ships. France would assist Vietnam with United Nations peacekeeping operations and co-operate to deal with marine and aviation security issues, President Tran Dai Quang said.

They also agreed to bolster relations in science and technology, culture, tourism, and education and training while working closely to ensure the success of the tenth conference on co-operation between local administrations in Vietnam and France, which will be held in Vietnam’s Can Tho City from September 14-16.

The Vietnamese President added that the two countries would continue supporting each other to promote France’s relations with Asian–Pacific nations and to foster Vietnam’s co-operation with the European Union. They would also coordinate more closely at multilateral forums and actively prepare for the Francophone Summit in Madagascar this November.

Vietnam highly valued France’s role in climate change management, as demonstrated by the success of the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21), held in Paris in November 2015, he said, adding that both sides had agreed to increase mutual assistance to realise their commitments in this sphere.

President Quang also informed the media that during the talks, he and his French counterpart had underlined the principle of abiding by the law on the sea, reiterating his commitment to maintaining free navigation and aviation. They also emphasised the importance of resolving disputes by peaceful means, without using force or threatening to use force, and on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The leaders repeated the importance of the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and efforts to reach a code of conduct (COC) in the waters, President Tran Dai Quang said.

For his part, President François Hollande said he hoped his visit could give a breath of fresh air to the countries’ strategic partnership.

He said the two leaders wanted to solidify this partnership in politics and hold more dialogue between the two defence ministries so as to jointly solve regional and global problems. France also supports Vietnam’s efforts to safeguard security in its territorial waters and airspace.

The two sides also wanted to reinforce economic ties, he said, noting that at the end of their talks, the Presidents had witnessed the signing of co-operation agreements and contracts between many Vietnamese and French companies, such as those in the aviation and metro construction industries.

President Hollande said Vietnam held an important position in Southeast Asia and had enjoyed impressive growth. More than 300 French businesses have invested in different areas in Vietnam, from food to advanced technology. President Hollande hoped that bilateral economic relations would be fostered by his visit so that Vietnamese and French enterprises could expand their presence in each other’s markets.

The French leader also highlighted the countries’ medical co-operation, with many successful projects carried out between their universities and institutes.

At the same time, he noted his wish that culture would be an axis of development in the strategic partnership.

Hollande said being members of the Francophonie was a common point that helped bring the two nations closer, and that the teaching of French in Vietnam would help strengthen bilateral relations. Additionally, about 300,000 Vietnamese expatriates who are living in France also acted as a bridge linking the two sides, he said.

He added that France highly valued Vietnam’s role at COP 21 and shared the Vietnamese President’s wish to make the climate change problem a main point in the bilateral strategic partnership.

François Hollande, who is on a state visit to Vietnam from September 5-7, is the third President of France to tour the country. Previously, President François Mitterrand visited Vietnam in 1993 and President Jacques Chirac made two visits, in 1997 and 2004.