PCF National Secretary visits Vietnam

National Secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF) Pierre Laurent has confirmed that the PCF always supports the Vietnamese Party, State and people in their national construction and defence in the past and at present.

During bilateral meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi on October 27, the French official expressed his pleasure to return Vietnam in the light of positive developments in the relations between the two countries, which were elevated to strategic partnership in 2013.

He hailed the significant achievements that Vietnam has gained during 30 years of “doi moi” (Reform) amid global economic and financial crisis, saying under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), the country has ensured economic growth, poverty reduction and social welfare, and actively integrated into the region and the world.

He showed his deep concerns over the fresh and complicated developments in the East Sea and confirmed support for Vietnam’s policy of addressing any disputes via peaceful means and in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong praised the PCF for developing the rapports between the two countries at both local and central levels, especially helping French friends understand more about Vietnamese land and people.

He proposed Pierre, as President of the Party of European Left (EL), promote relations with the CPV as well as Vietnam-France and Vietnam-EU relations.

While receiving the PCF National Secretary, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highly valued the remarkable contributions of the French party to peace and security in Southeast Asia.

The Government leader highlighted the relations between the Vietnamese and French communist parties as an important channel to bring the countries’ comprehensive cooperation to the next level.

The same day, the French official met with Secretary of Hanoi’s Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi who welcomed French cooperation initiatives in the fields of economics, trade, investment, tourism, environment, climate change adaptation, and heritage preservation.

At an earlier meeting with head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan, the two sides discussed specific measures to better cooperation mechanisms with a view of deepening the affiliation between the two countries and the two parties in particular.

They agreed to carry out activities in 2020 on the occasion of the 100th founding anniversary of the PCF to which late President Ho Chi Minh was among the founders.

During the visit to Vietnam from October 26-28, the PCF delegation visited the northern province of Bac Ninh and participated in the second theoretical workshop between the two communist parties on international integration and sustainable development.-VNA