In his address, Vietnamese Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang highlighted 2023 as a special year in Vietnam-France relations as the two countries marked 50 years of diplomatic ties and 10 years of strategic partnership.
He stated that a wide range of events, activities, and exchanges at all levels and across all fields were held in both countries.
The diplomat emphasised that the phone talks between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Emmanual Macron on October 20 and the engagement between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Macron on the sidelines of COP28 on December 1 demonstrated the political trust between the two countries.
Thang added that exchanges between Vietnam and France in 2023 have created momentum for further enhancing cooperation and friendship in 2024.
In a jubilant atmosphere, the Vietnamese Ambassador expressed his confidence that the friendship and cooperation between the two countries will achieve more impressive developments and that the Vietnamese community in France will make more important contributions to the homeland.
On behalf of the government of Paris, Deputy Mayor Arnaud Ngatcha said he was honoured to attend the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebrations, which introduced Vietnam’s distinctive culture and helped promote the bilateral relationship.
He added that with Paris hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2024, Vietnamese people and Parisians will continue sharing the values of solidarity and the beautiful cultural traditions of each country.