A short video featuring a group of young residents and a foreign visitor at the Mid-Autumn Festival in Tuyen Quang Province has attracted millions of views online after the group discovered that their guest was Julien Guerrier, the European Union ambassador to Vietnam.
At around 8.30 pm on September 1, Ha Bang, 28, and her friends were taking photos and recording videos in the centre of Tuyen Quang City.
The city was entering its annual Mid-Autumn Festival season, with giant lantern models paraded through the streets, drawing large crowds of residents and visitors. The colourful displays moved along several routes around the city centre, creating a lively festive atmosphere.
While enjoying the celebrations, the group noticed a foreign visitor mingling with the crowd. Bang greeted him with a smile and a wave. He was accompanied by another man who helped with translation, and the group exchanged a few simple greetings.
The young woman introduced the visitor to some of Vietnam's best-known dishes, including pho and banh mi. The French diplomat responded that pho bo, or Vietnamese beef noodle soup, was one of his favourite foods.
The group then invited him to take part in a short video. Without any script or preparation, they asked him to stand in front of the camera, wave and say, "Toi yeu Vietnam", which means "I love Vietnam".
The visitor readily agreed and joined in the recording.
The group repeated the scene several times before capturing the version they wanted. Throughout the process, the diplomat remained cheerful and cooperative.
The European Union ambassador to Vietnam poses for a photo with a group of young people in Tuyen Quang Province on September 1.
After about five minutes, filming was complete and the group said goodbye before continuing to enjoy the festival among the crowds.
Only as they were leaving did the interpreter reveal that the foreign visitor was Julien Guerrier, the European Union ambassador to Vietnam.
The revelation came as a surprise to the group, who said they were impressed by his willingness to blend into the celebrations and participate in everyday activities alongside local residents.
Bang later uploaded the video to her personal social media account as a keepsake. To her surprise, the clip quickly amassed millions of views and generated a large number of comments.
Julien Guerrier has served as the European Union ambassador to Vietnam since September 2023.
Ambassador Julien Guerrier during an interview with a Dantri reporter (Photo: Ha Nam).
During an online discussion with Dantri/Dtinews in November 2023, Guerrier said he was particularly impressed by Vietnamese cuisine, including nem and cha ca, and expressed a desire to explore more provinces and cities across Vietnam during his diplomatic posting.