Vietnam and France aim for broader and deeper cooperation space

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang answered an interview with Nhan Dan Newspaper reporter.

At the invitation ofPresident of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Luong Cuong, President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron and his wife will pay a State visit to Vietnam from May 25 to 27, 2025.

After half a century of establishing diplomatic relations, Vietnam and France have made many effective developments in many fields. In October 2024, during the official visit to the French Republic by General Secretary and President To Lam, the two countries upgraded their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. With this decision, France became the first country in Europe to establish this relationship with Vietnam.

Meaning and importance of the visit

This is President Emmanuel Macron's first visit to Vietnam since taking office in 2017 and being re-elected in 2022.

According to Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, the upcoming visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Vietnam is an event of special significance for bilateral relations, especially after the two countries upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The visit demonstrates the importance and strong commitment of French senior leaders to strengthening and developing relations with Vietnam, bringing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into reality and effectiveness.

This is a great opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to agree on new steps in politics , defense, economy, culture, and education to concretize the frameworks set out in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Many specific areas are being discussed in depth by the two sides, such as promoting economic-trade-investment priorities, enhancing defense-security cooperation, innovation, science-technology, education-training, and healthcare. The signing of new cooperation agreements within the framework of the visit will create an important driving force and legal basis for cooperation activities in the coming years.

The visit is also expected to contribute to promoting people-to-people exchanges, enhancing cultural exchanges and traditional friendship between the countries.

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang spoke at the Vietnam-France Investment Promotion Seminar held on May 15.

Outstanding developments in bilateral relations

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang emphasized: Vietnam-France relations were officially upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2024, marking a great milestone after more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations and 10 years of Strategic Partnership. This upgrade has created an important foundation for promoting relations between the two countries to continue to develop strongly, deeply and effectively.

In terms of politics and diplomacy, exchanges between the two countries have increased and become closer. Cooperation mechanisms have been expanded, such as the organization of the first Maritime Dialogue between the two Foreign Ministries. The upcoming visit to Vietnam by French President Emmanuel Macron is an important continuation of the visit to France and the 19th Francophone Summit by General Secretary and President To Lam.

French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Vietnam is an opportunity to strengthen political trust at the highest level between the two sides, sending a strong message about the determination of Vietnam and France in cooperating for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang

In the context of many changes in the world, the two countries will further strengthen coordination and cooperation on global issues, such as at the Artificial Intelligence Summit in Paris (February 2025), the Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals P4G Summit (April 2025) and the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice (June 2025).

In terms of defense and security, this continues to be considered an important pillar in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, demonstrating the strategic trust between the two countries. The recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City by the multi-mission frigate Provence of the French Aircraft Carrier Task Force to the region (March 2025) demonstrates the continuation of exchanges between the two countries in the spirit of working together to contribute to peace and ensure security and freedom of navigation in the region, in accordance with international law.

In terms of economic-trade-development cooperation, it is possible to note the increased interest from French partners and businesses in cooperation with Vietnam. The French Development Agency (AFD) is promoting many new projects with Vietnam, including projects related to clean energy development and ensuring energy security for Vietnam.

Many delegations of French businesses and economic ministries, including the French Minister of Transport, have come to Vietnam to discuss and explore cooperation possibilities in strategic areas and Vietnam's leading projects in energy, infrastructure and transport. Bilateral trade turnover for the whole year of 2024 recorded an impressive growth of 11%, reaching more than 5.4 billion USD.

Medical cooperation has increasingly affirmed its important role and become a bright spot in Vietnam-France relations with the promotion of cooperation in the production of a number of vaccines in Vietnam between the VNVC Vaccination Center and Sanofi Group, which was carried out right after the two countries officially upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Cooperation between localities also continues to have new connections. In February 2025, Da Nang city and Le Havre city officially signed an agreement to promote cooperation in areas such as seaport development, ecological transition, and digital innovation. Vietnam and France are also promoting preparations for the 13th Conference on Cooperation between Localities, scheduled to be held in 2026 in France.

New phase of cooperation and friendship

According to Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, there are many favorable factors promoting the development of Vietnam-France relations in the coming time.

Firstly , the new factor from upgrading bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic level is opening up a wider and deeper space for cooperation, focusing on priority and strategic areas, in line with the interests and potentials of both Vietnam and France. High-level exchanges and at different levels between the two countries are continuing to facilitate the implementation and exploitation of this political determination.

Second , in a world that is undergoing many changes, the two countries continue to share a common vision on many important issues. That is, to strengthen cooperation to bring about common prosperity. That is, to jointly pursue sustainable development goals. That is, to make efforts to respond to global challenges such as climate change, non-traditional security, and to promote multilateralism, peacekeeping, and respect for international law.

Third , the two countries continue to have many strengths to interact, facilitate and support each other in implementing development strategies and enhancing the position of each country. French enterprises and corporations have strengths in high technology, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, while Vietnam has a potential domestic market, abundant human resources and is deeply integrating into the global value chain.

Not only stopping at bilateral relations, France is also one of the partners that strongly supports Vietnam's relationship with the EU, while Vietnam is a country with which France has close relations in the region, creating a spillover effect of political and economic influence in ASEAN as well as in Asia-Pacific.

Fourth , all traditional factors are still truly important foundations for maintaining and strengthening relations between the two countries, from the historical sharing and profound cultural exchange, from the closeness and mutual understanding between the two peoples, to the positivity of the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese friends in France as mentioned above and the characteristics of the relationship spreading to each locality, region, and people of both sides.

Strengthening science-technology cooperation and innovation

In the context of science, technology and innovation being identified as the top priority for Vietnam's rise, as demonstrated by Resolution 57 of the Politburo, France also identifies this as a breakthrough field for the maintenance and development of France in the coming time.

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang commented: Along with the two countries upgrading their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with comprehensive contents, France and Vietnam can completely strengthen cooperation effectively to promote the potential and strengths of both sides in the coming time through the following directions:

Firstly , promote joint research cooperation, encourage and facilitate universities, research institutes and scientific centers of the two countries to establish joint research programs in areas where France has strengths and Vietnam has development needs such as high technology, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, renewable energy, and climate change response.

Working together to address scientific challenges will bring practical benefits to both countries. In particular, the two sides plan to sign a cooperation agreement on research and innovation, creating a solid legal framework for cooperation activities in this field.

Second , increase the exchange of experts and students by facilitating scientists, engineers, researchers and students to exchange, study and work at each other's research facilities and enterprises. This way, Vietnam can access knowledge, experience and advanced technology from France. At the same time, this also creates opportunities for France to better understand the potential and needs for science and technology development in Vietnam.

I believe that, with commitment and efforts from both sides, strong cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation will make an important contribution to promoting France's strengths and creating breakthrough, comprehensive developments for Vietnam in the future.

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang

Third , support the development of an innovation ecosystem. France has a developed innovation ecosystem with many startup incubators, venture capital funds and high-tech parks.

Vietnam can learn from France’s experience in building and perfecting its ecosystem, attracting investment and supporting technology startups. The two sides should encourage cooperation between incubators, high-tech parks and startup support organizations of the two countries.

Fourth , the transfer of advanced technology from France to Vietnam, especially in high value-added and environmentally friendly industries, will help Vietnam shorten the industrialization and modernization process. Along with that, it is necessary to focus on improving the capacity of Vietnam's scientific, technical and technological management staff through training and consulting programs from French experts.

Fifth , promote business cooperation, create bridges and encourage cooperation between French and Vietnamese technology enterprises, from large corporations to small and medium enterprises, especially in areas with high growth potential such as digital technology and smart solutions. Business cooperation will promote the application and commercialization of scientific and technological research results.

Finally, the two countries need to continue to improve the legal framework and create a favorable investment and business environment for science-technology cooperation and innovation activities, including protecting intellectual property rights, simplifying administrative procedures and providing appropriate incentive policies.

Nhandan.vn

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-va-phap-huong-toi-khong-giant-hop-tac-rong-lon-va-sau-sac-hon-post881132.html