Vietnam, France to lift bilateral ties to strategic partnership

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his French counterpart Laurent Fabius held talks here on Sunday during which they agreed upon main content and a roadmap to lift the two countries' relations to strategic partnership. According to state-run Vietnam News Agency, the two foreign ministers shared the view that bilateral traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation have seen positive developments in recent time, and focused on concrete measures to gain more in the time to come. Accordingly, economy and trade linkages and exchange of delegations at all levels will be stepped up while the existing dialogue mechanisms in diplomacy, defense, economics, trade, investment, and science-technology will be strengthened and fully utilized. Ties between localities will be encouraged and French groups and businesses will be helped to seek investment opportunities as well as expand operations in Vietnam, particularly in the fields of France's technological advantages, such as infrastructure, energy, transport, aerospace, health, agriculture and food processing. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of education and training, culture, science and technology. They also affirmed continual, close cooperation and collaboration at regional and international forums. The talks took place as part of the French foreign minister's three-day visit to Vietnam, on August 3-5, at the invitation of Minh at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.