Ambassador of Việt Nam to France Đinh Toàn Thắng. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thu Hà

PARIS — The upgrade of Việt Nam–France relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2024 has laid a pivotal foundation for advancing stronger, deeper, and more effective ties between the two nations, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to France Đinh Toàn Thắng.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Việt Nam, Ambassador Thắng emphasised the historic significance of the upgrade, marking a major milestone in the over-50-year diplomatic relationship and 10 years since the two countries established a Strategic Partnership.

On the political and diplomatic front, the ambassador noted a marked increase in exchanges and tightened cooperation, including the launch of new dialogue mechanisms such as the inaugural dialogue on ocean and maritime issues between the two foreign ministries. Amid a rapidly evolving global landscape, the two nations are intensifying coordination on international issues of shared concern.

Ambassador Thắng stressed that defence-security continues to serve as a strategic pillar of the partnership, reflecting the mutual trust between the two countries.

In terms of economic and trade cooperation, he highlighted growing interest from French businesses and institutions in Việt Nam.

The French Development Agency (AFD) is accelerating new projects related to clean energy and energy security. Several French business delegations and government officials have visited Việt Nam to explore opportunities in major infrastructure and energy initiatives.

Bilateral trade in 2024 recorded an impressive 11 per cent increase, reaching over US$5.4 billion.

Healthcare collaboration is also emerging as a bright spot, with the recent partnership between Việt Nam’s VNVC Vaccination Centre and French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi on vaccine production following the elevation of bilateral ties.

Locality-to-locality cooperation continues to flourish, with preparations underway for the 13th Việt Nam–France Decentralised Cooperation Conference, expected to be held in France in 2026.

Ambassador Thắng reaffirmed the enduring role of the Vietnamese community in France, whose long-standing presence and commitment to the homeland form a crucial bridge in bilateral relations. The community’s success is a testament to the close Việt Nam–France connection and a key driver in deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership.

He also highlighted the critical contributions of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals, particularly in strategic sectors such as clean energy, nuclear power, semiconductors, quantum science, advanced transportation, and biomedical research - the fields where Việt Nam is in need.

Analysing favourable conditions for bilateral growth, Thắng outlined four key factors. First, the upgrade to a comprehensive strategic partnership itself has unlocked wider, deeper cooperation in strategic and priority sectors aligned with the interests and capacities of both countries.

Second, France and Việt Nam share a converging outlook on many global challenges, from fostering common prosperity and sustainable development to climate action, non-traditional security, and promotion of multilateralism, peace, and international law.

Third, the two nations possess complementary strengths: France’s global competitiveness in high-tech, aerospace, healthcare, infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals, and Việt Nam’s dynamic domestic market, young workforce, and global integration.

Lastly, long-standing historical and cultural ties, mutual understanding, and the dynamic Vietnamese communities in France remain foundational to bilateral engagement.

The ambassador outlined four key proposals to advance bilateral ties between Việt Nam and France in the coming period. Emphasising the importance of mutual understanding, he called for enhanced exchanges at all levels and the effective maintenance of bilateral dialogue mechanisms across a wide range of sectors, including diplomacy, defence, security, economy, science, and technology.

According to the diplomat, both sides should prioritise cooperation in areas where they share complementary strengths and pressing needs, particularly in key sectors with high growth potential such as high technology, clean and nuclear energy, digital transformation, health care, education, and strategic infrastructure.

He also highlighted the need to fully leverage available institutional and policy support. This includes improving Việt Nam’s investment and business environment, addressing persistent bottlenecks, and enabling France to facilitate Việt Nam's access to crucial international financial and technological resources.

Thắng further stressed the importance of mobilising all stakeholders within the multi-layered Việt Nam-France relationship. Beyond government ministries and agencies, he pointed to the active engagement of business communities, industry associations, the Vietnamese diaspora, and various local-level authorities in France as essential to advancing cooperation dynamically and inclusively.

Regarding the upcoming state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, the ambassador noted that it presents an excellent opportunity for the leaders of both nations to align on concrete next steps for implementing the frameworks outlined in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The signing of new cooperation agreements during the visit will serve as both a catalyst and a legal foundation for future collaboration in the years ahead, he added. — VNA/VNS