NA leader welcomes head of France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Groups

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has urged the Vietnam-France and France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Groups to increase exchanges for better mutual understanding of each other’s country and people.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) and Stephanie Do, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group. (Photo: VNA)
Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) and Stephanie Do, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group. (Photo: VNA)

At a reception for Stephanie Do, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group (FVFPG) in Hanoi on July 17, NA Chairwoman Ngan said the friendly relations between Vietnam and France have been growing strongly and sustainably, especially after the establishment of strategic partnership in 2013, and affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to relations with France in its external policy.

The Chairwoman underlined economic cooperation as an important pillar in the bilateral strategic partnership. Vietnam highly appreciated France’s policy on strengthening economic partnership with the Southeast Asian country, she said, adding that Vietnam hoped France will maintain the provision of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, focusing on sustainable development cooperation in the fields of environment, agriculture, forestation, and natural disaster prevention.

The top legislator asked the two sides to increase connections and support for businesses to access their markets. Vietnam is willing to create all possible conditions for French businesses to join investment projects in Vietnam in various fields such as infrastructure, clean energy, renewable energy, smart city, and health care, she said.

The Chairwoman asked France to support Vietnam to export its farm produce and aquatic products to distribution systems in France and the European Union.

The locality-to-locality cooperation is a special feature in Vietnam-France relations, which has helped promote the bilateral strategic partnership, Ngan said, noting that 38 French localities have set up cooperative or twin ties with 18 Vietnamese cities and provinces.

The Chairwoman also hoped Do and other members of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group to continue supporting the overseas Vietnamese community in France.

For her part, Do said, as a member of the French NA and FVFPG President, she is willing to make contributions to the bilateral friendship and cooperation as well as their coordination on the international arena.

The guest also expressed her pleasure at the active implementation of bilateral cooperation projects, adding that the priority in the coming time will be given to strengthening cooperative ties between Vietnamese and French businesses.