National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan received Senator Catherine Deroche, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group (FVFPG) of the Senate of France, in Ha Noi on September 20.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) and Senator Catherine Deroche at the reception (Source: VNA)

The Vietnamese top legislator appreciated contributions by the Senate of France, the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Groups of the Lower House and the Senate of France to promoting the relations between the two countries and legislatures.

Vietnam wants to expand the bilateral relations across fields and at all levels, she said.

NA Chairwoman Ngan stressed that the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA)in June this year will open new opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and Europe in general and between Vietnam and France in particular.

She suggested the Senate of France continue to support and promote the European Parliament and member countries of the EU to approve the two agreements soon.

Ngan underlined the effective and practical cooperation in health care and culture between the two countries, expressing her hope that the French side will continue to create favourable for and support French teaching projects in Vietnam.

The two sides exchanged views on the East Sea issue. NA Chairwoman Ngan hailed the stance of supporting freedom, security and safety of navigation and aviation in the sea, and asked the French side to continue supporting Vietnam's stance in resolving disputes by peaceful means, respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and respecting legitimate rights and interests of the countries in the East Sea.

For her part, Catherine said that meetings in the framework of the Vietnamese NA high-ranking delegation’s visit to France in April this year contributed to strengthening multifaceted-cooperation between the two sides.

She highlighted the cooperation potential between the two nations, saying that the FVFPG of the Senate of France has worked with various delegations from committees of the Vietnamese NA and shared experience in culture, financial and organization of local administrations.

The guest said she also met with representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in university education and youth exchange between the two countries.

The Vietnamese top legislator took the occasion ask her guest to convey her regards to President and Vice President of the Senate of France, expressing her desire to welcome French parliamentarians to attend the Conference on Vietnamese-French local cooperation in Hanoi in 2021.

(Source: VNA)