State President Luong Cuong (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron review the Guard of Honour of the Vietnam People’s Army. (Photo: VNA)
Amid ceremonial music and Vietnamese children waving flags, the two leaders walked a red carpet to a platform where the national anthems of Vietnam and France were played by a military band. They then reviewed the Guard of Honour of the Vietnam People’s Army.
Following the welcome ceremony, host and guest held talks to review the recent progress in Vietnam–France cooperation and propose strategies to further strengthen ties. They are set to witness the signing of key cooperation documents and jointly meet with the press.
This is the French President's first visit to Vietnam since he took office in 2017 and was re-elected in 2022. It holds special significance for the bilateral relations, especially following the upgrade of the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in October 2024 during Party General Secretary To Lam's official visit to the European country.
Vietnam and France established their diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level on April 12, 1973. However, the foundation for exchanges had been laid earlier, when France opened a representative mission in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam following the Geneva Accords of 1954.
State President Luong Cuong (second from right) and French President Emmanuel Macron (second from left) and their spouses. (Photo: VNA)
Along with mutual visits, meetings and contacts between high-ranking leaders, the two countries have also maintained numerous regular exchange mechanisms in the fields of politics, economy, and defence at various levels.
Economic and trade cooperation serves as a key pillar in the bilateral relationship. France is currently Vietnam’s fifth-largest trading partner in Europe and one of the leading providers of Official Development Assistance (ODA) among EU member states.
Bilateral trade turnover reached 5.33 billion USD in 2022, 4.8 billion USD in 2023, 5.42 billion USD in 2024, and 1.79 billion USD in the first four months of 2025.
According to Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, green transition, digital transformation, and innovation are currently strategic priorities for Vietnam, and also the key areas in which it seeks to strengthen cooperation with international partners. France, with its strong scientific research capacity and status as one of the world’s leading countries in innovation, is well-positioned to be a valuable partner in these fields.
Healthcare collaboration is also emerging as a bright spot, with the recent partnership between Vietnam’s VNVC Vaccination Centre and French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi on vaccine production following the elevation of the bilateral ties.
Locality-to-locality cooperation has continued to flourish, with preparations underway for the 13th Vietnam–France Decentralised Cooperation Conference, expected to be held in France in 2026./.
