Vietnam-France friendship, trust fostered over the past years: Ambassador

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet has highlighted the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries during an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the Lunar Year Year (Tet) festival.
Vietnam-France friendship, trust fostered over the past years: Ambassador ảnh 1French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – French Ambassador toVietnam Olivier Brochet has highlighted the friendship and mutual trust betweenthe two countries during an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) onthe occasion of the Lunar Year Year (Tet) festival.

The friendship and trust have been fostered over thepast five decades, he said, elaborating that French President FrancoisMitterrand visited Vietnam in 1993, opening up a period during which France hasaccompanied the Southeast Asian nation.   

Recalling the phone talks between French President EmmanuelMacron and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen PhuTrong on October 20, 2023, the ambassador said the two sides displayed their resolveand good will to enhance the bilateral strategic partnership in the comingtenures.
The strategic partnership should grow on the basis ofrespect for the friendship and national sovereignty, he noted.

France wishes to help Vietnam in sustainabledevelopment, especially in the context that Vietnam is a country hard hit byclimate change, he said, calling it a priority of France in the bilateral ties.

Mentioning the Just Energy Transition Partnership(JETP), the diplomat said France has committed 500 million EUR (538.92 millionUSD) to the Southeast Asian nation in this field.

According to Brochet, innovation will be a cooperationpriority of the two countries in the coming time, and Franche can share itstechnology and experience with Vietnam in this regard.

The ambassador also underlined cooperation betweenlocalities, which is growing strongly with tens of projects underway.
He said climate change response, energy transition andinnovation are among the cooperation priorities in his term in Vietnam, apartfrom economic collaboration, particularly that through the EU-Vietnam FreeTrade Agreement (EVFTA).

Noting great potential for the economic ties, he saidit is seen in different areas, including energy, pharmaceuticals, medicalproducts and food industry.

For people-to-people exchange, Brochet said it servesas a foundation for the bilateral diplomatic ties, adding French people want tolearn about Vietnam and in their eyes, Vietnam is very beautiful.

Tourism remains an important channel of cooperation,as reflected through the high number of French visitors to the Southeast Asiannation last year, according to the ambassador.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, Brochet wishedVietnamese people prosperity and successes, and that the friendship andcooperation between the two countries will grow further in the time ahead./.
VNA

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