General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong (L) and French President Emannuel Macron (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and France issued ajoint statement on the occasion of the official visit to France from March25-27 made by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) CentralCommittee Nguyen Phu Trong at the invitation of French President EmannuelMacron.
The two sides debated regional and global issues, as well as the development inthe Vietnam-France relationship, with the highlight being the celebrations forthe 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties and five years of the strategicpartnership in 2018.
The two sides reaffirmed the central role played by the UN in maintaining peaceand international security, and promoting prosperity and sustainable developmentas well as their respect for the UN Charter and commitment to respecting theindependence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political mechanisms of eachother.
They agreed to promote the development of a multi-polar world andmultilateralism based on mutual respect, equality, fairness and cooperation inthe spirit of mutual benefits.
The two sides emphasised the importance to promote and protect human rights andbasic liberties in line with the UN Charter, and international commitments thatthey have joined, for the development of each country.
Vietnam and France repeated their respect for the objectives and principles UNagencies pursue, including UNESCO.
The two sides asserted their commitment to facilitating liberalisation of tradeand investment, and their respect for the role of the World Trade Organisationand expressed their hope for enhanced cooperation to improve globaladministration mechanisms.
They stressed that terrorism is one of the most serious challenges againstpeace and security and that all terrorist acts are crimes and cannot be exculpated.They expressed their support for efforts made by the international community tofight terrorism.
They supported the efforts towards upgrading the ASEAN-EURelations to a strategic partnership and encouraged the EU’s increasingparticipation in strategic architectures led by ASEAN.
They hoped the free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam andthe EU will be signed and approved in 2018, and it will take effect soon.
The two sides agreed that the Vietnam-EU FTA and the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership andCooperation (PCA) will deepen current dialoguemechanisms. They stressed the FTA will help promote relations between Franceand the EU with the ASEAN members. They agreed to foster the Vietnam-EUpartnership in terms of politics and security.
Vietnam and France want to boost cooperation and dialogues, thus contributingto enhancing connectivity in Southeast Asia, facilitating links between Europeand Asia and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
They applauded activities to foster connectivity within the Asia-Europe Meeting(ASEM) and emphasised the importance of developing economic projects based on faircompetition, transparency and economic sustainability.
The two sides hailed the role played by ASEAN in peacefully promoting internationalmaritime cooperation, while stressing the importance of respecting the 1982 UN Conventionon the Law of the Sea 1982, resolving disputes by peaceful measures and maintainingsecurity, aviation and navigation freedom in all waters and oceans with respectfor international law.
They said they support efforts of ASEAN and China in implementing theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and hoped for the completionof a practical and international law-complied Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
The two sides reaffirmed their desire for the denuclearisation of the KoreanPeninsula while calling for the full implementation of resolutions of the UNSecurity Council related to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
They also asserted their support for a diplomatic process to promotethe complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, affirming that Vietnamand France will make every effort to protect international regulations on nuclear non-proliferation on the basis of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Thetwo sides welcomed the development of bilateral relations over the past 45years, and affirmed their wish to develop their cooperation in all fields ofthe Vietnam – France strategic partnership signed in 2013. They reiteratedtheir determination to increase cooperation in politics, diplomacy, defence,security, economics, trade, investment, climate change adaption, sustainabledevelopment, science and technology, education – training, Francophone issues,law and judiciary, health care, locality cooperation, people-to-peopleexchange, culture and tourism.
Thetwo leaders agreed to increase exchanges and high-level contacts. They welcomedthe Party chief’s visit to France and the meetings and bilateral exchanges in2018, as well as the outcomes of the annual high level economic dialogue, andthe national defence policy dialogue in January. They agreed to maintainregular bilateral mechanisms and expand consultation mechanisms, including thedeputy ministerial-level foreign affairs and defence strategic dialoguesbetween the two nations. The two sides also welcomed the strengthening ofparliamentary cooperation between the two nations.
Thetwo leaders affirmed their wish to deepen defence cooperation, with a focus onstrategic dialogues, officer training, particularly in French-languageteaching, and peacekeeping activities. They pledged to forge cooperation indefence equipment, boost exchanges over maritime and aviation security andmilitary medicine. They welcomed visits and technical stop-bys of Frenchwarships to Vietnam and the signing of a letter of Intent on the signing of a Declaration on JointVision on Defense Cooperation from 2018 to 2020 as well as the extensionof agreements in hydrography, oceanographyand sea mapping.
Theypledged to boost the effective implementation of bilateral agreements onextradition and judicial assistance, addressing organised crimes for regionaland international security.
Theyshowed their determination to foster cooperation in economics,trade-investment, and long-term partnerships in industry, particularly ininfrastructure, transport, energy and space. They praised the cooperation inaviation, reflected in the new contracts signed between Tre Viet airline andAirbus and Vietnam Airlines and Air France. They also supported measures toaccelerate the pilot urban railway in Hanoi, running from Nhon to Hanoi railwaystation.
Theywanted to boost cooperation in agriculture and sustainable fishing, withrespect to international norms agreed to by Vietnam and France, particularly innatural disaster prevention and control, climate change adaption and biologicalfarming. They also underlined the significance of the Vietnam-targeted projectsof the Centre for InternationalCooperation in Agricultural Research for Development ofFrance.
Vietnamwelcomed the “One Planet” Summit in Paris in December 2017, in which Vietnamparticipated, while the French side welcomed Vietnam’s plan for implementingthe Paris Agreement on climate change from 2016 – 2030.
Theyagreed that the Talanoa dialogue is a proper measure to evaluate climatetargets to realise the goals of the Paris Agreement. They also supported thenegotiations at the InternationalMaritime Organisation and the International Civil Aviation Organisation toreduce greenhouse gas emissions from civil aviation and shipping.
Vietnamand France wanted to continue their dialogues on building a global environmentconvention, and reaffirmed their determination to effectively implement theAgenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Theyalso acknowledged the key role of cities and territories in adapting to climatechange and pledged to exchange specialists to more effectively use resources andto ensure sustainable and adequate urban services, particularly in transport,housing, water and environmental hygiene.
Through activities of the French DevelopmentAgency (AFD), France is committed to supporting Vietnam's low carbon andsustainable growth.
The two sides welcomed the signing of aMemorandum of Understanding between Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment and AFD to strengthen cooperation in green growth and response tonatural disasters and climate change.
Both countries welcomed the long-termpartnership between AFD and Vietnamese authorities in development cooperation andencouraged efforts to facilitate the implementation of new programmes andprojects.
They also welcomed priority projects to preventcoastal erosion and develop infrastructure for four north central coastalprovinces.
They welcomed the signing of a cooperationagreement on science and technology between the Vietnam Academy of Science andTechnology and the French Research Institute for Development.
The two sides prioritised science andtechnology collaboration and agreed to regularly exchange national policies inthis field.
They affirmed to promote the use of French inVietnam through the Francophone international organisation andinstitutions.
Vietnam and France reaffirmed the priority ofyouth exchanges for the development of bilateral relations. They pledged tocreate more conditions for students to study in the respective societies.
The two sides stressed the exemplarity in the countries’cooperation in tertiary education and research, welcomed the cooperation in lawand justice and pledged efforts to implement the cooperation programme for2018-2019 between the two ministries of justice.
They applauded the sound cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceutical research, along with the agreement on HIV/AIDS andviral hepatitis signed between the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and the FrenchAgency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis in Hanoi on January 18, 2018.
The two leaders considered locality-to-locality tiesas a pillar in the bilateral partnership which helps to strengthen connectivitybetween the two countries and two peoples.
Cultural exchange is also a key field inFrance-Vietnam cooperation, helping to enhance mutual understanding andsolidarity between the countries’ people.
The two sides reaffirmed the wish to increasethe number of tourists between their countries, welcoming the signing of aletter of intent on tourism cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry ofCulture, Sports and Tourism and the French Ministry of Foreign and EuropeanAffairs.
In the statement, they expressed their beliefthat the visit will mark a new period in the reinforcement of theVietnam-France strategic partnership.
General Secretary Trong invited the FrenchPresident to visit Vietnam. President Emmanuel Macron accepted theinvitation.-VNA
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