National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) and President of the French Senate Gérard Larcher (Photo: VNA) While in Vietnam, the Senate President held talks withNA Chairman Hue and attended a launching ceremony for a series of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic ties.
Larcher also paid courtesy calls to Party GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and met with PrimeMinister Pham Minh Chinh.
At the meetings, both sides stressed the significanceof Larcher’s visit as the two countries are looking forward to the celebration ofthe 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties and 10 years since the establishmentof the bilateral strategic partnership.
The host leaders affirmed that Vietnam attachesimportance to the strategic partnership.
The two sides exchanged views on specific cooperationareas and agreed to step up all-level meetings via all Party, State, parliamentand people-to-people exchange channels, and strengthen cooperation betweenlocalities.
The legislative bodies of the two countries will alsoenhance coordination at multilateral forums.
The Vietnamese leaders asked France to soon ratifythe EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in order to create animpulse for the bilateral investment ties, and urge the European Commission(EC) to remove its "yellow card" warning on the Vietnamese fisherysector.
The two sides concurred to continue coordinating in andstrengthening supervision over the implementation of cooperation projects,including urban railway No. 3, to remove obstacles to the projects.
Vietnam and France will also further close coordinationat regional and international multilateral forums to promote their role in the decision making process regarding regional and international matters.
The visit, from December 8-9, was the first high-level one of the two countries’ legislative bodies after the COVID-19 pandemic was broughtunder control.
It has contributed to consolidating anddeepening the strategic partnership between the two countries, as well as thefriendship and cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and theFrench Parliament. /.
VNA
