(VOVworld) – Vietnam – France relations are a typical ties and the establishment of a future strategic partnership will help strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas. Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made the statement at a ceremony in Paris celebrating 40 years of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties. Minh said that due to France’s helping Vietnam escape economic sanctions in the early 1990s and integrate globally, their bilateral relations have developed strongly in all areas, creating an exemplary relationship between a developed economy and a developing one.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh delivers speeach at the ceremony in Paris (Photo: VOV)

The Vietnamese Minister said both are expecting a wealth of opportunity for cooperation from the 2013 exchange year between them. Minh added ‘On this occasion, Vietnam and France are jointly organizing a Vietnam –France Year with diverse activities in various cooperative fields. This is an opportunity for the two countries to review the historical relations towards future cooperative prospects. As a result, the upgrade of Vietnam-France relations to a strategic partnership as agreed by the two countries’ top leaders befits the history and the current status of bilateral relations, creating a new framework for stronger cooperation in the future.’

French Minister for Foreign Trade Nicole Bricq (Photo: VOV)

In an interview granted to a VOV correspondent in Paris, French Minister for Foreign Trade Nicole Bricq reiterated the French government’s desire to elevate relations with Vietnam. Madam Bricq said ‘We want to develop a framework of strategic relations with Vietnam, and next week I will visit Vietnam to boost trade ties between the two governments and the two nations’ business communities. I think the most important thing is we should outline specific ideas for realizing the new relationship. During the upcoming trip, I’ll introduce to Vietnamese leaders a roadmap and once it’s agreed, we should boost the implementation and perform a regular check at each point of the roadmap.’

Bricq said she is looking forward to her visit to Hanoi in April, accompanied by more than 100 leading French businesses. While in Vietnam, Bricq is scheduled to launch France Year in Vietnam and attend a joint Vietnam-France business forum in Ho Chi Minh City.