General Secretary and President To Lam and President of France Emmanuel Macron talk to the press. Photo: VOV

Both sides committed to bolstering bilateral ties on the back of mutual respect for international law, equality, sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and political system of each other. They pledged to maintain high-level exchanges and interactions through all channels between the French administration and the Communist Party, Government, National Assembly, and local authorities of Vietnam.

Vietnam and France underscored the importance of multilateralism, with the United Nations playing the central role. They reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Charter, particularly the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, which are crucial to each country’s development.

The joint statement underlines the commitment to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the East Sea, and to fully respecting the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both countries strongly oppose any form of threats or the use of force contrary to international law. They reaffirmed the importance of ensuring unimpeded maritime and aviation security and freedom, as well as the right to navigate safely in the East Sea. Additionally, they supported regional efforts to achieve an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in line with international law, particularly UNCLOS.

Both countries underscored the importance of achieving a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in accordance with international law and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter; as well as respecting the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations. Voicing profound concern over the alarming escalation of the Middle East situation, they urged all parties involved to de-escalate and exercise maximum restraint.

They expressed desire to boost defense cooperation, enhance the exchange of delegations, cooperation, consultations and training activities. Vietnam will facilitate the docking of French military vessels at its ports in accordance with Vietnamese law. Both nations promised to intensify security cooperation and training, share information about crime prevention and control, and protect their citizens.

The two sides reaffirmed their common determination to promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation, which are the pillars of the bilateral relationship. Both sides expressed their desire to develop and deepen strategic cooperation in the fields of innovation and new technologies. Vietnam hoped to promote cooperation with France and French companies in the areas of infrastructure, urban and rail transport, renewable energy, energy transition, non-carbon hydrogen, digital and circular economy, logistics and port infrastructure, civil aviation, and submarine cables.

Both sides reaffirmed their determination to achieve the goals set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. They reiterated their commitment to achieving a balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection, within the framework of the Paris Pact for People and the Planet (4P).

Both sides committed to promoting people-to-people exchanges. They also pledged to continue cooperation in the fields of health, justice, governance, and agriculture, and were delighted to see that local-level cooperation is unceasingly strengthened.