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| Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang emphasized: The official visit to France by General Secretary and President To Lam will bring the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new height. (Photo: MINH DUY) |
Reporter: General Secretary and President To Lam will attend the Francophonie Summit in France. Vietnam hosted the 7th Summit in 1997 in Hanoi, but this is the first time that the highest-ranking leader of Vietnam has attended the Francophonie Summit. Could you please assess the significance and prospects of this visit? Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang: The fact that Vietnam is attending a Francophone Summit at the General Secretary and President level for the first time demonstrates Vietnam's importance in cooperation with the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) and its member countries; demonstrating that Vietnam is an active and responsible member contributing to the development of the Francophone community. Through the participation of General Secretary and President To Lam at this Francophone Summit, OIF will see Vietnam's great efforts in enhancing the presence of the Asia-Pacific region at a high level in the Francophone community, and appreciate Vietnam's role as a bridge to promote the Francophone community's relations with the region. In addition, through high-level bilateral meetings between General Secretary and President To Lam and heads of state of the Francophone member states, Vietnam will have the opportunity to deepen relations with Francophone member states, thereby demonstrating its foreign policy of multilateralization, diversification, proactive and active international integration, while proactively participating, actively contributing, and enhancing Vietnam's role in building and shaping multilateral institutions. Reporter: Vietnam is an active and responsible member of the Francophone community, always actively promoting cooperation with OIF as well as with other members in the fields of trade and economy, teaching French and supporting French training. Could you please assess the effectiveness of this cooperation? Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang: Since the Francophone community began promoting trade and economic cooperation at the 7th Francophone Summit in Hanoi in 1997, Vietnam has gradually expanded economic cooperation with most Francophone member countries. With the potential of being a developing country with more than 100 million people and the 35th largest economy in the world in terms of GDP, Vietnam has received a lot of expectations from the Francophone community and its member countries. In response to this, during Vietnam's tenure as Chair of the Francophone Economic Commission for 2019-2023, Vietnam has coordinated with member countries to coordinate the development of the Francophone Economic Strategy for 2021-2025. The focus of the Strategy is the organization of a total of 6 Francophone economic and trade promotion delegations to member countries, the first of which is to Vietnam. Each delegation has the participation of 400-500 Francophone enterprises, thereby helping to promote the connection of our businesses in areas of strength such as agriculture, telecommunications, digital services, and at the same time opening up many new trade partners. While economic cooperation between Vietnam and developed Francophone countries has been promoted quite well so far, we have also been creating changes in economic cooperation with developing Francophone countries. With economic similarities, and at the same time having the advantage of being ahead and successful in many fields closely related to developing Francophone countries, especially in Africa, Vietnam has great potential in deepening economic cooperation with these countries. However, there are still many challenges for both sides. In addition to working with Francophone partners to build effective support mechanisms, we also need to monitor the implementation process and effectively implement existing cooperation agreements with Francophone African member countries. Vietnamese ministries and sectors need to strengthen incentive policies, while Vietnamese partners and enterprises need to proactively and actively overcome difficulties in market information, differences in business culture or payment mechanisms. Regarding French language teaching, Vietnam receives active support from OIF and developed member countries, helping Vietnam maintain the number of young people and students who want to learn French. Francophone support projects are quite diverse, from supporting professional development for French teachers, diplomats, civil servants, building French book spaces and supporting job search for French-speaking youth. Vietnam also actively participates in OIF's initiatives on this issue, as one of the first four countries to participate in OIF's 2023 survey on French in linguistic diversity, thereby helping to assess the current situation of French teaching and finding solutions to improve the quality of education. Reporter: According to the Ambassador, on the occasion of this Conference as well as in the coming time, what should Vietnam and OIF as well as member countries do to make their cooperation more effective? Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang: Vietnam always actively and substantially participates in priority issues of the Francophone Community, from building economic-trade-investment cooperation strategies, French language education, culture to maintaining peace, security and stability in the regions. In the coming time, along with strengthening relations with developed Francophone countries, Vietnam needs to develop a comprehensive plan for cooperation with the Francophone bloc, strengthen cooperation with developing countries in the OIF, especially the African region, which will account for 85% of the French-speaking population by 2050. Francophones are also gradually changing, gradually promoting decentralization of decision-making mechanisms and increasing the dispatch of staff to work at regional offices in Africa. We need to grasp this trend to have an appropriate strategy. Many Francophone countries in Africa also consider Vietnam a model, wishing to learn from our socio-economic development experience. On the part of member countries, I think that developed countries in the OIF can gradually share their roles with developing countries, fully reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Francophone Community, strengthening solidarity and sharing common values. Indeed, joining Francophonie is not only about sharing cultural and linguistic features, but also promoting similar values and cooperative interests. To enhance Vietnam-French cooperation, it is necessary to create strong changes in key areas to meet the development requirements of both the Community and each country, and have a cooperation policy aimed at all member groups in Francophonie. Reporter: In recent years, especially since the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2013, the relationship between Vietnam and France has made many important developments in many fields, but it is still not commensurate with the level of political relations and potential of each country. According to the Ambassador, in what areas should the two sides promote cooperation in the coming time? Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang: Vietnam and France are facing many opportunities to enhance their cooperation in both quantity and quality, especially when both countries are facing great demands for national development as well as contributing to the common efforts of the international community for peace and cooperation. The political determination of the leaders of the two countries, the support of all walks of life, and the active participation of partners in all fields will create new momentum to upgrade the cooperative relationship between the two sides. That relationship will help both countries continue to build their strength and position in a world that is experiencing many changes and is in great need of enhanced cooperation to jointly respond to common challenges in development, security and stability. In order for the relationship to develop more substantially and effectively, I believe that the two sides need to coordinate more effectively and comprehensively in all areas, from economic cooperation, security and defense, trade, investment, to science and technology, education and training, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, culture and people-to-people exchange. In all areas, there are potentials that need to be awakened, exploited and further promoted. Each side needs to clearly identify its needs and strengths to have practical cooperation that demonstrates the spirit of partnership and mutual benefit. During the official visit to France by General Secretary and President To Lam, the two sides will jointly identify major orientations, create frameworks and open a new chapter for the relationship between Vietnam and France, focusing on improving the effectiveness and upgrading bilateral cooperation mechanisms, deepening political, defense, security, economic-trade and investment cooperation, with science and technology, innovation and high-tech cooperation, and technology transfer being areas that will receive special attention. Cooperation in areas where France has strengths and Vietnam has needs such as aerospace, energy transition, climate change response, green economic development, ecological agriculture, circular agriculture, green hydrogen production technology, green tourism, marine economy, and sustainable fisheries development will be promoted more strongly in the coming time. I am very optimistic and believe that with the new cooperation frameworks and impetus that the two countries' senior leaders will agree on during the official visit to the French Republic by General Secretary and President To Lam, the Vietnam-France relationship will have a new framework and many important elements to further deepen bilateral cooperation in all fields and channels.
Nhandan.vn
Source: https://nhandan.vn/hop-tac-giua-viet-nam-voi-phap-ngu-va-cong-hoa-phap-se-phat-trien-manh-me-post834051.html
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