Viet Nam and France seek to broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation

Over the past fifty years since establishing diplomatic relations, Viet Nam-France cooperation has witnessed effective progresses across many fields. In October 2024, during the official visit to France by Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam, the two countries elevated their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. With this decision, France became the first European nation to establish such a relationship with Viet Nam.

Significance and importance of the Viet Nam visit by the French President

French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse are set to pay a state visit to Viet Nam from May 25 to 27, 2025, at the invitation of President Luong Cuong.

This will be President Emmanuel Macron’s first visit to Viet Nam since taking office in 2017 and being re-elected in 2022.

The visit follows Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to France and attendance at the 19th Francophonie Summit in October 2024.

According to Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, President Macron’s upcoming visit to Viet Nam is a particularly significant event for bilateral relations, especially after the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

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

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang

The visit is an opportunity to strengthen political trust between the two sides and sends a strong message of Viet Nam and France’s determination to cooperate for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

The visit demonstrates the high regard and strong commitment of France’s top leadership to consolidating and developing relations with Viet Nam, contributing to developing the comprehensive strategic partnership in a substantive and effective manner.

It is a great opportunity for the leaders of both countries to reach agreements on new steps in politics, defence, economy, culture, and education to concretise the frameworks set out in the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Many specific areas are attracting great attention from both sides, such as economic-trade-investment, defence-security, innovation, science and technology, education and training, and healthcare.

The signing of new cooperation agreements during the visit will create momentum and an important legal basis for cooperative activities in the years ahead.

The visit is also expected to help promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and traditional friendship between the two countries.

Notable achievements in bilateral relations

Viet Nam’s Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron at a press briefing before their talks in Paris on October 7, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang emphasised that the elevation of the Viet Nam-France relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in October 2024 marks a major milestone, laying an important foundation for further robust, profound, and effective development of bilateral ties.

Regarding politics and diplomacy, exchanges between the two countries have increased significantly and closely. Cooperative mechanisms have expanded, such as the first-ever Maritime Dialogue between the foreign ministries of Viet Nam and France.

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

Regarding defence and security, this remains a key pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership, reflecting strategic trust between the two countries. The recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City by the French multi-mission frigate Provence — part of France's aircraft carrier battle group — in March 2025, demonstrates the continuity of exchanges between the two nations in the spirit of cooperation and peace while ensuring security and freedom of navigation in the region, in accordance with international law.

In terms of economic, trade, and development cooperation, French partners and businesses have shown increased interest in collaborating with Viet Nam. The French Development Agency (AFD) is promoting several new projects with Viet Nam, including projects on clean energy and energy security.

Numerous delegations of French business representatives and economic ministries, including the French Minister of Transport, have come to Viet Nam to explore cooperation opportunities in strategic areas and major projects in energy, infrastructure, and transportation. The two-way trade turnover in 2024 saw an impressive 11% growth, reaching over USD 5.4 billion.

Healthcare cooperation has become a highlight in Viet Nam-France relations, with the promotion of vaccine production cooperation in Viet Nam between the Viet Nam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC) Immunisation Centre and Sanofi Group.

Cooperation between localities also continues to see encouraging signs. In February 2025, Da Nang City and Le Havre City officially signed an agreement to promote cooperation in areas such as port development, ecological transition, and digital innovation. Viet Nam and France are also preparing for the 13th Conference on Cooperation between Localities, scheduled for 2026 in France.

A new stage of cooperation and friendship

Vietnamese traditional 'Ao dai' at a festival held in Lyon, France in June 2024 (Photo: VNA)

According to Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, many favourable factors are driving the development of Viet Nam-France relations in the coming period.

First, the new factor from upgrading the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership is opening a broader and deeper space for cooperation, particularly in priority and strategic areas that align with the interests and potential of both Viet Nam and France.

Second, in a world undergoing many developments, the two countries continue to share a similar vision on many important issues. This includes the need to strengthen cooperation for shared prosperity, the pursuit of sustainable development goals, and efforts to address global challenges such as climate change, non-traditional security, and the promotion of multilateralism, peacekeeping, and respect for international law.

Third, both countries continue to have many strengths to support each other in implementing development strategies and enhancing their positions.

French enterprises and corporations have strengths in high technology, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, while Viet Nam has a potential domestic market, abundant human resources, and is deeply integrating into global value chains.

Beyond bilateral relations, France is also one of the strongest supporters of Viet Nam’s relations with the EU, while Viet Nam is a country with which France has close ties in the region, creating a ripple effect in political and economic influence within ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific.

Fourth, all traditional factors remain a truly important foundation for maintaining and tightening ties between the two countries, from their shared history and deep cultural exchange to the closeness and mutual understanding between the two peoples, the active role of the Vietnamese community and friends of Viet Nam in France, and the unique nature of relationships extending to each locality, region, and individual on both sides.

Strengthening cooperation in science, technology, and innovation

French Ambassador to Viet Nam Olivier Brochet speaks at a ceremony held in Ha Noi in November 2023 to cerlebrate the four-decade cooperation between the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). (Photo: VAST)

While science, technology, and innovation have been identified as top priorities for Viet Nam’s advancement, France has also identified this as a breakthrough area for its own development in the coming period.

According to Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, France and Viet Nam can fully strengthen cooperation to maximise the potential and strengths of both sides in the following ways:

First, promote joint research cooperation, encourage and facilitate universities, research institutes, and scientific centres of both countries to establish joint research programmes in areas where France has strengths and Viet Nam has development needs, such as high technology, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, renewable energy, and climate change response.

Jointly addressing scientific challenges will bring practical benefits to both nations. Notably, both sides plan to sign a cooperation agreement on research and innovation, which will create a solid legal framework for activities in this field.

Second, enhance exchanges of experts and students by facilitating scientists, engineers, researchers, and students to study, and work at each other’s research institutions and enterprises. This will allow Viet Nam to access France’s advanced knowledge, experience, and technology, while also giving France a better understanding of Viet Nam’s scientific and technological development potential and needs.

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

Viet Nam can learn from France’s experience in building and perfecting its own ecosystem, attracting investment, and supporting technology startups. Both sides should encourage cooperation between incubators, high-tech parks, and startup support organisations.

Fourth, transfer advanced technology from France to Viet Nam, especially in high value-added and environmentally friendly industries, will help Viet Nam shorten its industrialisation and modernisation process.

At the same time, it is necessary to focus on enhancing the capacity of Viet Nam’s scientific, technical, and technology management personnel through training and consulting programmes from French experts.

Fifth, promote cooperation between businesses, encouraging collaboration between French and Vietnamese technology enterprises, from large corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in high-growth potential areas such as digital technology and smart solutions. Business cooperation will accelerate the application and commercialisation of scientific and technological research results.

Finally, both countries need to continue improving the legal framework and create a favourable investment and business environment for science, technology, and innovation cooperation, including intellectual property protection, simplifying administrative procedures, and providing appropriate incentive policies.