Vietnam-France Relations at Peak, Leaders Vow Deeper Cooperation

Vietnamese President To Lam stated that relations between Vietnam and France are at their "best stage ever," confirming the deepening of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. This marks their third summit in three years, reflecting a high level of political trust and close ties. President To Lam congratulated France on the successful organization of the International Space Summit, emphasizing space as a strategically important domain for national security and development. Vietnam highly values the discussions on space security and the space economy, which contribute to shaping regulations for outer space, promoting scientific research, technological development, and encouraging youth participation in space science. He explained that Vietnam is accelerating economic development and transforming its development model, with science and technology as a key growth driver, while focusing on building strategic infrastructure, developing the energy sector, and strengthening high-quality human resources. President To Lam added that France possesses considerable strengths in these areas, leaving vast room for future cooperation between the two countries. He suggested that both nations should fully utilize their respective strengths, leverage their complementarities, reposition strategic cooperation areas to a higher level, and establish new frameworks for bilateral cooperation. Meanwhile, President Macron expressed his belief that the Vietnamese leader's visit would help consolidate new achievements in bilateral cooperation, building on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2024. He congratulated both countries on the agreements recently signed by their ministries, sectors, and businesses, stating that these demonstrated the vitality of their bilateral ties. In the face of challenges to the international trading system, both sides need to remain committed to supporting the implementation of the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), President Macron said. He also noted that the forthcoming ratification of the European Union-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) would open new prospects for cooperation. France affirmed its desire to become a leading partner for Vietnam in areas such as energy, transport infrastructure, urban development, artificial intelligence, and innovation.