Benoit Guidee, Asia and Oceania Director at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. (Published by VNA) Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident reporter in Paris, he said since the visit by then President François Mitterrand in 1993, France has made substantial contributions to Vietnam’s socio-economic development. On September 25, 2013, the two governments decided to elevate the bilateral relations to a strategic partnership to further intensify cooperation amid Vietnam’s increasing affirmation of its role in the region and the world.
Vietnam and France launched the annual high-level economic dialogue in 2013. Cooperation in strategic development areas of Vietnam such as energy, aerospace, banking, information technology, food and agriculture, transport, environment and infrastructure, has been carried out.
The potential of relations remains considerable, and both sides should work harder in these areas on the basis of the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he opined.
Aside from traditional cooperation fields, the bilateral partnership has also been growing substantially in global issues such as climate change, Guidee noted, stressing that the climate change fight has become a big concern and a focus of the partnership as seen in the saltwater intrusion response projects in the Red River Delta and Mekong Delta of Vietnam.
Mentioning impacts of the regional and international environment on bilateral ties, the official said the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the steadiness of the Vietnam - France relations and the strength of their solidarity.
He held that the two countries should increase dialogues to cope with the fast changes threatening such principles as multilateralism, the respect for international law, and the freedom of navigation and overflight.
Regarding cooperation potential, Guidee expressed his belief that there are various opportunities for developing cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral aspects in line with both sides’ priorities.
The top priority is international peace and security issues. The exchange of opinions proved fruitful when Vietnam served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2020 - 2021 tenure. They have also worked together in peacekeeping training.
The two countries can do more to contribute to stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region where France has strong presence, he continued, adding that France, as a development partner, hopes to further enhance cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The second priority is related to global issues, including climate challenges. Within the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between Vietnam and developed countries led by the G7, the French Government, businesses, and experts have strongly taken part in a topic important to Vietnam’s future.
According to the official, France plans to cooperate more with Vietnam, especially via the French Development Agency and French companies, some of which have their specialised capacity recognised globally in such areas as sustainable city building, low-carbon transport, and low-carbon energy.
The third priority is about economic ties, Guidee said, pointing out that though bilateral trade has continuously hit records in recent years, it is still unbalanced and hasn’t caught up with potential. France’s direct investment in Vietnam hasn’t met the European country’s expectations while there are still many chances for Vietnamese investments in France, particularly in environmental and energy transition.
Highlighting the enhancement of people-to-people bonds as the fourth priority of the bilateral relations, the official emphasised the two peoples’ close-knit ties, which are based on the dynamism of the decentralised cooperation network, the role of France - Vietnam associations, the community of Vietnamese students in France, and the diverse cultural connections between their countries./.
VNA
