Ambassador Trịnh Đức Hải speaks at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo

PARIS — About 1,000 guests attended a Lunar New Year celebration hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in France in coordination with the Paris authorities at the City Hall on Saturday.

Participants included representatives of the Paris administration, members of the diplomatic corps, friendship and cooperation associations, and a large number of Vietnamese living, studying and working across France.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Mayor of Paris Arnaud Ngatcha expressed his pleasure at welcoming the Vietnamese community to the City Hall, a venue that reflects the French capital’s hospitality and international stature.

He noted that maintaining the traditional Vietnamese Tết celebration at the City Hall for more than a decade demonstrates the city’s appreciation for the Vietnamese community and the strong ties between France and Việt Nam.

Highlighting Tết as a symbol of renewal, hope and new beginnings, Ngatcha said the occasion also helps strengthen solidarity, dialogue and cooperation amid global uncertainties.

He voiced hope for expanded cooperation between Paris and Hà Nội as well as HCM City, particularly within the C40 network on climate action, toward building sustainable and innovative cities. He also praised the Vietnamese community’s successful integration and contributions to Paris’s cultural and social life.

Ambassador Trịnh Đức Hải described Tết as a meaningful time to convey messages of unity and friendship. He recalled that since 2014, when Paris first opened its City Hall for the Vietnamese community to celebrate Tết, the event has become an annual meeting point of bilateral friendship.

The diplomat noted that Việt Nam–France relations gained fresh momentum in 2025 through high-level exchanges, including the visit to Việt Nam by French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s trips to Paris and Nice, helping deepen bilateral cooperation.

He added that 2026 marks the beginning of a new development era for Việt Nam, driven by innovation, digital transformation and deeper international integration. Việt Nam values cooperation with France at both bilateral and multilateral levels, he said, expressing readiness to work with France to promote international solidarity for a fair, sustainable and inclusive global order.

The celebration featured cultural performances and traditional Tết cuisine, leaving a warm impression of a united Vietnamese community and the growing Việt Nam–France friendship. —VNA/VNS