Article by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Le Monde newspaper

The Renovation process over the past 30 years has transformed Vietnam from a poor, backward country, heavily devastated by war, into a developing country with average income, relatively high and continuous economic growth, stable socio-political situation, maintained national defense and security, increasingly expanded and deepened foreign relations, and enhanced Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena.

From a backward agricultural economy, Vietnam is entering a period of accelerated industrialization and modernization, with an average economic growth rate of 7% per year over the past 30 years; in 2017 alone, import-export turnover reached 425 billion USD, attracting 36 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), competitiveness ranking increased by 5 ranks, business environment increased by 14 ranks (according to the ranking of the World Economic Forum WEF); the economic structure is shifting towards modernization, reducing the agricultural sector, increasing the service and industrial sectors. Vietnam is emerging as a fast-growing and dynamic economy in the Asia-Pacific region.

On the basis of an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, cooperative and developmental foreign policy, Vietnam is increasingly integrating into the international community. It has established diplomatic relations with nearly 190 countries, forming strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with all major countries, including all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council; is an active member of the United Nations, ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, and WTO; has been negotiating and participating in many bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, most recently the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP); and is finalizing a free trade agreement with the EU.

Vietnam has also proactively and actively promoted its role in regional and international multilateral mechanisms, participated in United Nations peacekeeping activities, and non-traditional security exercises. International exchanges, interactions and cooperation in the fields of culture, society, science-technology, education-training, etc. have developed rapidly and extensively. It can be affirmed that Vietnam today has become a reliable partner of many countries, a responsible member with an important role and position in the international community, contributing increasingly positively and effectively to peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

2- Although Vietnam and France are on two different continents, they have a very special relationship with close historical, cultural and social ties.

Looking back over the 45 years of establishing diplomatic relations (1973-2018), we can easily see that the relationship between the two countries has made significant strides. First of all, it is necessary to mention a significant event: the official visit to the French Republic by Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Van Dong in 1977, which opened a new page in the relationship between the two countries.

Economic, trade, cultural and educational cooperation and exchange were strongly promoted. In particular, in the 1980s, when Vietnam was under embargo, France was still the only Western country to maintain cultural, scientific and technical, educational and training cooperation with Vietnam by reopening the Institute for Cultural Exchange with France (IDCAF) in Ho Chi Minh City in July 1982 and has now expanded to many other localities in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Cultural Center in France has also made tireless efforts to spread Vietnamese culture and language to the French people. Since the late 1980s, especially when Vietnam's renovation achieved important initial achievements and Vietnam began to reintegrate into the international community, the relationship between the two countries has developed richly and diversely with the visits to Vietnam by President Mittal in March 1993 and the visit to France by Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in June of the same year 1993.

It can be said that since then, France has implemented a consistent policy of considering Vietnam a priority in its foreign policy in Asia-Pacific, a bridge between France and countries in the region, as Foreign Minister A. Juppe said during his visit to Vietnam in November 1994: "France is located in the middle of the European continent, a Europe that is becoming increasingly unified, and Vietnam is located in the middle of the Asian continent, an Asia that has been reconciled and is experiencing strong economic growth.

Our two countries can do many great things together". The Vietnam-France relationship has grown stronger since Vietnam joined ASEAN in 1995, going beyond the bilateral relationship and falling within the framework of the relationship between the European Union and Vietnam and within France's policy towards Southeast Asia. The two countries share the same views on many major international issues, especially those related to sustainable development goals, promoting cultural diversity and the role of multilateral institutions in regulating and managing the globalization process.

3- This year, our two countries celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of strategic partnership. Over the past 45 years, France has always been Vietnam's leading partner. Bilateral and multilateral relations have developed increasingly richly and diversely. France is the leading European bilateral donor to Vietnam. Hundreds of agreements have been signed between universities and research centers of the two countries and there are currently about 7,000 Vietnamese students and interns studying in France.

Cooperation between localities has also been expanded with the participation of 20 French localities and 15 Vietnamese provinces and cities, with 10 cooperation conferences between localities of the two countries held in recent times. In particular, the Vietnamese community in France is a long-standing community, the largest among the Vietnamese communities in Europe, closely connected to both countries and always an important bridge for Vietnam-France relations. The two countries are also moving towards new forms of cooperation to ensure sustainable development through projects on climate change response or agricultural development. Green projects between Vietnam and France are bringing hope to places where the lives of Vietnamese people are strongly affected by climate change.

However, reality also shows that there is still a lot of great potential for cooperation between the two countries that has not been fully exploited. For example, up to now, French FDI in Vietnam has only reached about 2.78 billion USD, equal to 1/3 of Dutch FDI in Vietnam. The two-way trade turnover is still modest, only more than 1% of Vietnam's total import-export turnover. These results are not really commensurate with the cooperation potential of Vietnam - France relations.

4- At present, our two countries have many favorable conditions to strengthen relations. France is a key power in Europe, is strongly reforming to rise up, actively promoting its global role, and has important interests and influence in Asia. Vietnam is a fast-growing, dynamic economy with nearly 100 million people, playing an important role in ASEAN and East Asia. Vietnam and France also share many similar views and interests in international issues. Therefore, strengthening Vietnam-France cooperation has become an objective and necessary requirement for the benefit of both countries.

In that spirit, we need to create new momentum to deepen the Vietnam-France strategic partnership; strengthen political trust, promote high-level exchanges and contacts, improve the effectiveness of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms; expand cooperation in the fields of politics, diplomacy, defense, and security; strongly promote cooperation in economics, trade, investment, science-technology, energy, health, culture, education, tourism, justice, environmental protection, etc.; promote people-to-people exchanges and enhance cooperation between localities.

As core members of the EU and ASEAN, each country needs to play a special role in promoting EU-ASEAN relations. Vietnam will be an important bridge for relations between France and ASEAN, and it is hoped that France will also be an effective bridge for relations between Vietnam and the EU.

Another important priority area is cooperation on environment and climate change. Vietnam and France need to actively participate in contributing to the international community’s efforts to implement national commitments to respond to climate change; strengthen cooperation to promote global partnerships for sustainable development towards effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Finally, in the context of today's rapidly changing and complex world, more than ever, our two countries need to strengthen close coordination on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Vietnam and France share a common vision of a multipolar world and multilateralism based on mutual respect, equality, fairness, cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit, and joint efforts for peace and inclusive sustainable development.

We affirm the central role of the United Nations in promoting international peace and security, promoting prosperity and sustainable development; respect the United Nations Charter, and commit to respecting the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions of each country. And in particular, we all support the principle of resolving disputes by peaceful means, not using or threatening to use force, on the basis of the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.

All of that allows us to firmly believe that the prospects of Vietnam-France relations are very good; the Vietnam-France strategic partnership will continue to develop sustainably, comprehensively and effectively in the coming decades of the 21st century./.