Paris, September 11, 2026 – The Europe Today: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President Tô Lâm and French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu have expressed satisfaction with the substantive development of Vietnam–France relations, particularly since the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The two leaders held talks in Paris on Thursday during President Tô Lâm’s visit to France, discussing key directions and measures to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across multiple fields.
President Tô Lâm congratulated France on its socio-economic achievements and praised its role and initiatives in addressing global challenges. He briefed Prime Minister Lecornu on Vietnam’s development vision towards its 2030 and 2045 goals and affirmed that France remains one of Vietnam’s most important partners in Europe.
He expressed Vietnam’s desire to maximize the complementary strengths of the two countries and deepen cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.
Prime Minister Lecornu said President Tô Lâm’s visit was significant in sustaining the positive momentum of bilateral relations and providing fresh impetus to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Highlighting Vietnam’s growing self-reliance and international standing, Lecornu said France regards Vietnam as an important partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy. He noted that France serves as Vietnam’s gateway to the European Union, while Vietnam provides France with a gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The two leaders agreed to strengthen exchanges of high-level and other delegations, establish new cooperation mechanisms commensurate with the level of bilateral relations and effectively implement the Vietnam–France Action Plan for 2026–2028.
They also agreed to enhance cooperation in defence and security, United Nations peacekeeping operations, and the prevention and combating of organised and transnational crime.
Economic and Trade Cooperation
Vietnam and France agreed to continue effectively implementing and maximizing the benefits of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), with the aim of increasing bilateral trade in a balanced manner through greater market access for products in which each country has competitive strengths.
President Tô Lâm said significant untapped potential remains in economic and trade cooperation and stressed that stronger determination on both sides could create new breakthroughs and bring economic ties in line with the countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Prime Minister Lecornu said a number of documents, agreements and projects had been negotiated and were expected to be signed during President Tô Lâm’s visit, reflecting the positive state of bilateral relations.
He added that the French Government, ministries and agencies were ready to engage in concrete discussions with their Vietnamese counterparts.
The two sides agreed to prioritize resources for major and strategic projects in areas where France possesses expertise and Vietnam has significant development needs, including aerospace, strategic transport infrastructure, clean energy and critical minerals.
France also expressed interest in participating in projects in Vietnam in the energy, strategic infrastructure and minerals sectors, while offering support for the development of international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
President Tô Lâm welcomed France’s interest in financial cooperation, railway development, science and technology.
Science, Technology and Aerospace
The two leaders agreed to further strengthen traditional cooperation in culture, education and training, healthcare and local-level cooperation, while promoting emerging areas of partnership in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation.
Regarding aerospace cooperation, President Tô Lâm welcomed the French President’s initiative to organize an International Space Summit. He noted that Vietnam and France have already developed fruitful cooperation in satellite exploitation and operations and called for further expansion in this field.
President Tô Lâm also called on France to support Vietnam’s efforts to persuade the European Commission to remove its “yellow card” warning concerning illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Prime Minister Lecornu expressed support for Vietnam’s proposals concerning cooperation with the European Union and affirmed that France would advocate for the lifting of the IUU “yellow card” and support Vietnam’s efforts to be removed from the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.
Cooperation on International Issues
On international and regional issues, Vietnam and France shared a commitment to upholding multilateralism and resolving conflicts through peaceful means in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.
The two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea, and resolving disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They also pledged to continue close coordination and mutual support at the United Nations, UNESCO, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and within the ASEAN–EU framework.
President Tô Lâm called on the French Government to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in France to settle, integrate into society and further contribute as a bridge of friendship between the two countries.
The talks reaffirmed the two countries’ determination to translate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into concrete and mutually beneficial cooperation across strategic sectors, contributing to their respective development objectives and to peace, stability and cooperation at the regional and international levels.
