HCMC – Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam has called for stronger bilateral trade and closer coordination between Vietnam and France to reinforce the multilateral trading system and expand market access.
The Party chief made the statement during a meeting on April 17 with French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet at the headquarters of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Hanoi City.
Lam emphasized the importance of France becoming the first EU member to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam. He said the move reflects Vietnam’s strong commitment to deepening its all-round ties with France.
Highlighting France’s role as a key voice in the European Union, he urged Paris to help foster stronger EU-Vietnam relations, contributing to regional and global peace and development.
Praising the positive progress in trade and investment cooperation, which is considered a pillar of the partnership, Lam said both sides should work more closely to maintain a stable multilateral trading framework and to expand bilateral trade, especially as global economic uncertainty and international competition intensify.
He welcomed Ambassador Brochet’s proposals to maximize opportunities from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and to strengthen cooperation in areas where both countries hold advantages, including infrastructure, transportation, renewable and green energy, science and technology, innovation, aerospace, and high-quality human resource development.
Lam also suggested enhancing collaboration in traditional sectors such as healthcare, culture, heritage preservation, museum cooperation, archival memory, and local-to-local partnerships.
Ambassador Brochet reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s development and emphasized the significance of Party General Secretary Lam’s visit to France in October 2024, which marked the official upgrade of bilateral ties. He said France regards Vietnam as a priority partner in the Asia-Pacific and is committed to translating the upgraded partnership into concrete cooperation initiatives.
He expressed strong support for the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and said France’s National Assembly would be urged to ratify it soon. The ambassador also backed Vietnam’s request for the European Commission to lift the IUU yellow card on its seafood exports.
Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral forums and international organizations, reaffirming their shared commitment to multilateralism, international law, and joint responses to global challenges.
Regarding the East Sea issue, Ambassador Brochet said France and the EU support Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on peacefully resolving disputes based on international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to maintain peace, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.
