Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (middle) was invited to review the Guards of Honour by Minister of Public Sector Transformation and the Civil Service Amélie de Montchalin who chaired the welcome ceremony at Invalides Palace, Paris. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

PARIS — An official welcome ceremony was held for Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam at the Invalides Palace, Paris, on Wednesday afternoon (local time).

PM Chính was invited to review the Guards of Honour by Minister of Public Sector Transformation and the Civil Service Amélie de Montchalin who chaired the welcome ceremony.

During the visit, Chính is scheduled to have talks with the French PM, and meetings with the French President as well as the President of the French Senate and the President of the French National Assembly.

He will also meet with the UNESCO Director-General, Secretary General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Managing Director of Office of the COVAX Facility, and the France-Việt Nam Friendship Association, among others.

The Việt Nam-France strategic partnership has been flourishing. Senior leaders of the countries have paid due attention to and underlined the importance of promoting bilateral relations.

The two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership in 2023.

The PM’s visit to France will help the Việt Nam-France strategic partnership become more practical and effective.

France is currently the fourth largest trade partner, the second leading investor and top official development assistance provider for Việt Nam in the European Union.

Many major French groups are keen to invest in Việt Nam, especially in aviation, infrastructure and smart urban areas, renewable energy, climate change adaptation and high technology. — VNS

Guards of Honour at the Invalides Palace, Paris. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang