Antoine Pouillieute, former French Ambassador to Việt Nam from 2001 to 2004. — VNA/VNS Photo

PARIS — Trust, mutual understanding and respect are valuable assets that can help Việt Nam and France further deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Antoine Pouillieute, former French Ambassador to Việt Nam from 2001 to 2004, made the statement while speaking to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Paris about Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm’s official visit to France.

Pouillieute said that while there are many partnerships between Southeast Asia and the European Union, few countries share the historical ties, closeness, mutual understanding and respect that characterise Việt Nam–France relations.

He described it as an important advantage at a time when the world is experiencing an unprecedented level of instability and conflict.

The French diplomat said that regional integration, such as ASEAN and the EU, is a positive trend that continues to develop. However, such integration should not lead to the formation of opposing blocs. Instead, they should contribute to common progress through political dialogue, economic growth and stronger social cohesion, he said.

According to Pouillieute, each country has its own goals, strengths and challenges, but all parties have a responsibility to seek harmony rather than exacerbate tensions in international relations. Achieving this requires leaders capable of providing direction and advancing a shared vision. In this context, Lâm’s visit to France carries particular significance, he said.

From cooperation to partnership

Pouillieute said that translating the Việt Nam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into concrete outcomes is not about setting more ambitious goals. What is more important is to ensure that the partnership responds more effectively to current needs while preparing for those of the future, he noted.

The former ambassador said major cooperation programmes over the past several decades have proven effective. However, he added, bilateral relations now need a shift in approach from cooperation to partnership.

This means Việt Nam and France should broaden and deepen their links, particularly in production and investment, technology applications and workforce development, by strengthening exchanges among scientists, universities and businesses in the two countries.

Pouillieute said greater attention should be paid to social cohesion in the longer term, which could either drive development or become a constraint on economic growth, particularly amid less favourable demographic prospects.

Việt Nam and France could also enhance exchanges of experience in territorial administrative reform and social protection, he said. Climate change response and the green transition represent another area with considerable potential for cooperation.

According to the former ambassador, the commitments made by Việt Nam and France in this field deserve recognition and provide a practical, necessary and urgent avenue for further collaboration.

Trust and identity

Looking ahead to the priorities for stronger and more sustainable bilateral relations, Pouillieute placed particular emphasis on two factors: trust and identity.

He said that trust has never been lacking in Việt Nam-France relations, even when the two sides had differences.

Disagreements are normal both between countries and between people, Pouillieute noted. What matters is frank dialogue, so that differences can be overcome together. The two countries have built a foundation of trust and should continue to preserve this valuable asset in the years ahead.

The second factor is a clear awareness of each country’s identity.

According to Pouillieute, both Việt Nam and France are nations shaped by their histories, with strong identities and a desire to preserve them. Because they have a clear understanding of who they are, both countries can play their respective roles in the regional spaces to which they belong, Việt Nam in ASEAN and France in the EU.

The Việt Nam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership should thus continue to be nurtured on the foundations of mutual trust, respect for each country’s identity and a shared responsibility to promote dialogue between Southeast Asia and Europe, Pouillieute said.

These foundations will also provide a basis for the two countries to further develop their relations in a substantive and sustainable manner. — VNS