France has always held an important position in Vietnam's foreign policy and is the first European Union country with which Vietnam has established a comprehensive strategic partnership – the highest level of diplomatic relations, State President Luong Cuong affirmed during his talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Hanoi on May 26.

The state visit to Vietnam by the French President and his spouse affirms a clear commitment to advancing the Vietnam – France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a more substantive and effective manner, Cuong said.

He asserted that Vietnam always attaches great importance to developing multifaceted cooperation with France and supports its active role in international organisations such as the United Nations, the International Organisation of La Francophone, and UNESCO.

The Vietnamese State leader proposed the two countries continue to promote their shared strengths to jointly address global challenges and harmoniously manage emerging regional and international issues. Showing his delight at for the first time visiting Vietnam – a country that plays an important role in ASEAN and in France’s Indo-Pacific strategy, President Macron said he is impressed by Vietnam’s rapid and robust development as well as its remarkable socio-economic achievements in recent years.

Congratulating Vietnam on its growing status and role in the region and on the international stage, he affirmed that France wishes to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in traditional areas such as health care, education, and culture, while also expanding into new fields including infrastructure, urban transportation, aerospace, new energy, and historical memory, in a manner that is commensurate with the current comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two leaders exchanged views and reached consensus on major directions for future cooperation between the two countries. In terms of political and diplomatic relations, they agreed to continue strengthening delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, especially high-level ones, through all channels; effectively implement existing collaboration mechanisms and consider the establishment of new ones; and maintain close coordination at international and regional forums.

They also agreed that the two countries should continue implementing signed agreements in the fields of defence and security, including cooperation in combating transnational crime.

President Cuong took this occasion to extend an invitation to high-ranking French leaders to attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, to be held in Hanoi in October 2025.

In the areas of economy, trade, and investment, the two leaders agreed to promote trade and investment ties and to effectively implement the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). France pledged to support the early ratification of the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), advocate for the European Commission to lift its "yellow card" warning on Vietnamese seafood, and create favourable conditions for Vietnam to increase aquatic product exports to the French and EU markets.

Both sides also reached a consensus on enhancing cooperation in science and technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and digital transformation, especially in training high-quality human resources. They also committed to expanding joint scientific research, promoting technology transfer and mastery, and investing in the development of digital infrastructure.

The two leaders agreed to continue strengthening and promoting cooperation in traditional areas such as education – training, health care, justice, culture – tourism, agriculture, and climate change response.

The Vietnamese side called on France to continue its support in development cooperation through official development assistance (ODA) funding and preferential government loans for projects aimed at enhancing climate resilience and improving human resources quality in the energy sector. France was also suggested to continue assistance for Vietnam in carrying out specific projects within the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

President Cuong took the occasion to thank and ask for the French Government’s continuation of favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community so that they could stabilise their lives, better integrate into, and make practical contributions to the socio-economic development in the host country as well as the friendship between Vietnam and France. He also asked France to soon confirm the organisation of the 13th Vietnam – France Decentralised Cooperation Conference.

Exchanging notes on regional and international issues of mutual concerns, President Cuong affirmed that Vietnam maintains its steadfast "Four No's" defence policy in international relations. Both sides laid stress on the essential role of multilateralism, with the UN holding the central position.

President Macron affirmed his support for ASEAN's stance on the East Sea. The two sides emphasised that the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) serves as the comprehensive legal framework for all maritime and oceanic activities and cooperation. They reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the region, resolving disputes by peaceful means based on international law, and supporting all efforts to achieve an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that complies with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS.

Following their talks, the two leaders witnessed the handover of several cooperation documents, covering the domains of defence, justice, archiving, nuclear energy, climate change adaptation, port, vaccine production technology, aviation, and many more.

Vietnamese, French leaders hold joint press conference following talks

State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron held a joint press conference on May 26 to announce the outcomes of their talks, which took place earlier the same day as part of the latter’s ongoing visit to Vietnam.

At the conference, President Cuong said that the visit demonstrates the strong desire and determination of both nations to bring the Vietnam – France relations to a new high, describing his talks with the French leader as highly successful, conducted in the atmosphere of openness, sincerity, and mutual trust.

The leaders agreed on various orientations and measures to deepen the multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries while exchanging notes on regional and international issues of mutual concern. They emphasised their growing strategic trust consolidated through the exchange of high-level delegations, particularly following the upgrade of the bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Besides, they committed to enhancing people-to-people exchange, bolstering cooperation between localities, and working towards organising the 13th Vietnam–France Decentralised Cooperation Conference in France.

According to President Cuong, amidst complicated global economic fluctuations, the two sides concurred that economic, trade, and development cooperation pillars continue to be important drivers the bilateral ties. They committed to close coordination to maintain and consolidate free trade, open markets for each other, and bring into full play the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Vietnam requested France to urge the European Commission to remove the “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood, expedite the ratification of the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, and encourage French corporations and businesses to expand investment and joint ventures in strategic industries with high spillover effects like automobile and logistics.

President Cuong stressed that both sides agreed to promote cooperation in defence – security based on the signed agreement, strengthen information exchange on strategic issues, and study expanding collaboration in defence industry, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism efforts. Both sides recognised significant potential for development in traditional cooperation areas like science – technology, health care, and education – training within the new relationship framework. They agreed to bolster cooperation in areas where France has strengths like aerospace, nuclear energy, AI, digital transformation, and pharmaceuticals while promoting technology transfer and mastery.

Vietnam asked for France’s continued support in high-quality human resources training, French language teaching in Vietnam, and expansion of scholarship programmes for Vietnamese students. President Cuong also suggested the French Government to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to stabilise their lives, better integration, and contribute more to the socio-economic development in the host nation.

Both leaders emphasised the essential role of multilateralism and affirmed their shared commitment to promoting international peace and stability. They agreed to coordinate closely and support each other at international and regional forums, particularly the United Nations, ASEAN-EU, and the International Organisation of La Francophonie. Vietnam and France stand ready to support the enhancement of the ties between Vietnam and the EU as well as between ASEAN and France.

Stressing that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as the comprehensive legal framework for all maritime activities and cooperation, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East. They supported resolving disputes through peaceful means based on international law and back efforts to achieve an effective, substantive Code of Conduct in the waters that complies with international law, particularly UNCLOS 1982.

He expressed his belief that President Macron’s state visit will be a motive to promote the Vietnam – France to a new high, bringing practical benefits to the people of both nations while contributing to peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region and the world.

For his part, President Macron expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese State and people for the warm reception during his state visit, which marks the first stop in his Southeast Asian tour. He underscored France's desire to become a leading partner in supporting Vietnam's goal of becoming a developed nation by mid-century.

He spoke highly of the relations between the two countries, wishing that they will work together to handle challenges and develop their partnership to build a prosperous future.

Referring to France's efforts to promote ocean conservation and sustainable use of marine resources through the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in June, Macron expressed his hope for Vietnam's active participation in agreements on marine biodiversity conservation.

The French President revealed that both sides signed a series of cooperation documents in various fields including space cooperation, satellite system construction, mining, high-speed rail development, energy, nuclear power, aviation, health care, transportation, and logistics.

Highlighting both nations’ commitment to promoting cooperation in culture and education-training, the French leader said they are the traditional areas of cooperation and viewed them as the bridge to connect the people of both sides.

After deciding to upgrade relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership late last year, making France the first EU country to have such a relationship with Vietnam, a new page of history has truly been written by the two nations across all sectors, he stated, adding the elevation of the bilateral ties provides opportunities for deeper cooperation between France and Vietnam, and between ASEAN and the EU. He expressed his desire to actively develop these cooperation areas with a shared vision of international order./.VNA