Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds phone talks with French President Emmanuel Macron (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Presidents of Vietnam and France underlined the importance of further strengthening the cooperative framework between the two countries to respond to global issues and regional challenges, during their phone talks on May 11.

The two State leaders particularly highlighted cooperation on promoting sustainable development goals, adapting to climate change, protecting the environment, maintaining peace, security, stability and ensuring respect for international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed satisfaction with the development of Vietnam-France ties, including the implementation of outcomes reached during the France visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He affirmed that France is among leading partners in Europe of Vietnam, and suggested that the two countries continue working closely together towards the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship and 10th year of their strategic partnership in 2023.

President Emmanuel Macron said he appreciates the steps of development in the France-Vietnam strategic partnership, particularly the official visit to France in 2018 by Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong. He reiterated France’s policy on closely cooperating with Vietnam to further develop their relations.

The two leaders exchanged views on specific measures to promote bilateral ties. They agreed that their ministries and sectors should maintain existing mechanisms of exchange and push ahead with the joint work in important projects and priority fields of cooperation, such as COVID-19 prevention and control, security-defence, economy-trade-investment, energy, transport, aerospace, environment, culture, education-training and local cooperation towards a conference on  cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities slated for late 2022.

President Phuc asked his French counterpart to provide support for the Vietnamese community in France so that they can stabilize their lives and ensure safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.  

He thanked France for backing the development of Vietnam-EU ties, especially in pushing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, adding that he hopes the French parliament will early complete the ratification of the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement, so as to promote mutually-beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in general and France in particular.

President Macron spoke highly of Vietnam’s role in the region and the international arena, especially the Southeast Asian country's success in performing the role of the Chair of ASEAN last year and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council at present.

The two leaders agreed that Vietnam and France should continue with their close coordination at multilateral forums, particularly the UN, ASEM, the Francophonie, while promoting ASEAN-France ties, especially now that France has become a development partner of ASEAN since 2020.

President Phuc took the occasion to repeat an invitation to visit Vietnam to the French President./.