France appreciates Vietnamese Government's anti-epidemic measures

ABO/NDO – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hosted a reception in Hanoi on March 4 for the new French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Warnery.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) receives French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Warnery. (Photo: VGP)

At the meeting, Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh assessed that the Vietnam-France strategic partnership has witnessed many positive developments in recent years, during which the two sides have maintained regular exchange of delegations and bilateral trade has reached US$5 billion.

The Deputy PM also reiterated the invitation of Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong to the French President Emmanuel Macron and sent an invitation to French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian to visit Vietnam in the near future.

Deputy PM suggested that the two sides continue to promote and maintain bilateral dialogue mechanisms, especially the annual high-level Economic Dialogue and the dialogue on security and defence strategy.

On this occasion, Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh also expressed this thanks to the French for their role in supporting the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). Her also shared his hope that the French National Assembly will soon ratify these agreements in order to bring practical benefits for both sides.

For his part, French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery affirmed his determination to promote the fine relations between the two countries, adding that France highly appreciated the rapid and effective measures of the Government of Vietnam in controlling COVID-19 in recent time.

At the meeting, the two sides also spoke highly of the effective cooperation at multilateral and international forums, such as at the UN, the International Organisation of La Francophonie, ASEM and ASEAN, especially regarding the mutual support of some important agencies of the UN in recent years.

(Source: NDO)