Paris (VNA) - The Secretary General ofthe Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong had a meeting in Paris onMarch 26 with the French Prime Minister, Édouard Philippe, as part of hiscurrent official visit to the European country.

The head of the French government lauded Trong’scurrent visit, considering it an important milestone in promoting the strategicpartnership links between the two countries.

Both sides shared delight at the quality anddynamism of Vietnam-France cooperation in various fields, from politics,diplomacy, economics, security and defense to culture, health, science, education,training, law and justice, and collaboration among localities.

They affirmed their desire to deepen thestrategic partnership in the new period, agreeing to improve the exchange ofinformation and contacts, especially high-level ones, to increase theeffectiveness of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in all areas, especiallyin the economy, and to strengthen coordination in regional and internationalforums.

They emphasised that economic cooperation alwaysplays a very important role in bilateral relations, and agreed to strengtheneconomic, commercial and investment ties in order to match with ties inpolitics and culture.

PM Philippe expressed his satisfaction with thesigning of contracts and economic collaboration documents during this visit,and stated that the French government will promote the implementation of inked projectsand agreements.

The government will encourage and create favourableconditions for French provinces and companies to expand cooperation for mutualbenefits with Vietnamese ones, he stressed. He wanted the Vietnamese governmentto facilitate French companies to invest in the Southeast Asian country.

For his part, Trong suggested that the two sidesshould make more efforts to promote the potential of economic cooperation andthe effective implementation of projects.

He affirmed that Vietnam is willing to facilitatethe participation of French companies in its industrialisation and modernisation,and ready to be a bridge for them to access the markets of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and member countries of the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Host and guest expressed their desire toaccelerate the signing and ratification of the Free Trade Agreement betweenVietnam and the European Union in 2018, thus creating a new impetus foreconomic, commercial and investment cooperation between Vietnam and France andthe EU.

The Vietnamese Party leader asked the Frenchgovernment to increase support and cooperation in the field of training andcreate favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living in France.

On this occasion, Party General Secretary Tronginvited PM Philippe to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. The PM received theacceptance with pleasure.-VNA