National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) and Secretary-General of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association Jean-Pierre Archambault (Photo: VNA) Paris (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman NguyenThi Kim Ngan met with Secretary-General of the France-Vietnam FriendshipAssociation Jean-Pierre Archambault in Paris on March 31, part of her officialvisit to the European nation.
The top legislator of Vietnam noted withsatisfaction that the two countries’ friendship has been developing strongly,especially since they set up the strategic partnership in 2013.
She affirmed that Vietnam always attachesimportance to its relations with France in its foreign policy, and it hopes thetwo sides will continue enhancing bilateral cooperation. The extensiverelationship, which dates back hundreds of years with the two peoples’cohesion, illustrates the strong commitment of the countries’ leaders andpeoples to developing their relations sustainably.
Archambault also expressed his delight at thethriving relations in multiple spheres, including frequent mutual visits by thetwo sides’ leaders.
He noted that the France-Vietnam FriendshipAssociation was set up in 1961, when Vietnam began the resistance war againstthe US, so as to show the friendship and solidarity with the Southeast Asiancountry. Since then, it has maintained connection with organisations inVietnam, the Vietnamese Embassy in France, and the French Embassy in Vietnam.
The association’s activities currently focus onpopularising information about Vietnam to the public in France, strengthen thesolidarity with the Vietnamese people, and contribute to the two countries’relations. Notably, it has published an exclusive magazine on Vietnam, theSecretary-General added.
Chairwoman Ngan highly valued activities of theFrance-Vietnam and Vietnam-France friendship associations, noting thatpeople-to-people exchanges are an important channel helping to promote thefriendship and cooperation between the two States and peoples.
She underlined that cooperation betweenVietnamese and French localities has become an important part in bilateralties, helping with the countries’ traditional friendship and multifacetedcollaboration. She asked both sides to coordinate closely to successfullyorganise the 11th decentralised cooperation conference in France’s Toulouse citythis time and the 12th event in Vietnam’s Hanoi capital next year.
The legislator also asked the France-VietnamFriendship Association to continue having a voice in the support for Vietnamesepeople’s organisations in France and advocate the preservation of theVietnamese culture and language in the Vietnamese community in the country.
The chairwoman reiterated that the VietnameseState, National Assembly and people wishes to solidify relations with theirFrench counterparts for the sake of each country and for regional and globalpeace, stability, cooperation and development.-VNA
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