Hanoi (VNA) – Leaders of Vietnam’s National Assembly and Government have urged thﷺe French legislature to support the early signing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to boost trade-investment links between the two countries.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan made the call while receiving President of the French National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee Elisabeth Guigou in Hanoi on December 16. Ngan said she hopes the two sides will forge ahead with cooperation for effective investment in the fields of infrastructure, transport, energy and outer space – the strengths of French businesses. She expressed her pleasure at the growing friendship and collaboration between the two nations’ parliaments, which are attributable to the regular delegation exchanges, legislative experience sharing, and close coordination at multilateral forums. Vietnam’s National Assembly wants to further relations with French parliament in the field, she added. In turn, Elisabeth Guigou said she hopes the two countries’ parliaments will increase cooperation and information exchanges in the coming time. She also expressed her confidence in the thriving relations between Vietnam and France, particularly in culture and economics. At a separate meeting with the French guest the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said he hopes France will accelerate the ratification of the PCA and the signing of the EVFTA. He hailed France’s role as the host of the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) and asked France to continue to support Vietnam in implementing the global agreement reached at the conference. He confirmed Vietnam will do its utmost together with France to beef up their strategic partnership across politics-diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, tourism, military technology, culture, education and training. Elisabeth Guigou informed her host that the French Senate will consider the Vietnam – EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) on December 17 for early ratification on the outset of 2016. She said the French parliament strongly supports the strengthening of relations between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam. She noted that the French President highly valued Vietnam’s contributions to the COP 21, adding that the President said he wants to make a visit to Vietnam in the coming year. Guigou also said France has closely followed the situation in the East Sea. She reiterated France’s viewpoint on respecting and abiding by international law, ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.-VNA