General Secretary and President To Lam, his wife, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation are in France for an official visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron from September 9-12.
A new height in Vietnam-France relations
General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit marks another milestone in the deep, substantive bilateral relationship between Vietnam and France. Following Mr. Lam’s visit to France in 2024 and President Macron’s visit to Vietnam in 2025, this visit affirms the high level of political trust between the two countries and substantive cooperation in economy, trade, and technology since the establishment of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2024.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and France exceeded 6.3 billion USD in 2025, up 16.4% from 2024, and reached 3 billion USD in the first 5 months of 2026, up 26.9% year on year. These figures show that the two economies are becoming increasingly interconnected, and cooperation priorities for the coming period have been clearly defined. They include promoting strategic autonomy, strengthening industrial and high-tech cooperation, implementing commitments under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and expanding cooperation into the new frontiers of cyberspace, outer space, and the digital economy.
Vu Anh Son, Trade Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in France, said: “Vietnam-France relations are entering a pivotal phase, moving from establishing a cooperation framework to implementing in-depth cooperation. Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to France will provide important political momentum to turn high-level commitments into concrete economic projects that can create a breakthrough in bilateral relations. In this new phase, the overarching principle is to ensure resolute and substantive implementation, with tangible results, and clear tasks, deadlines and responsibilities.”
On global issues Vietnam and France have shared visions and commitments, and respect and value each other’s role on the international stage. For France, Vietnam is an “anchor” and reliable partner in the Indo-Pacific. For Vietnam, France is a gateway to broader cooperation with the European Union.
President Emmanuel Macron said: “We really want to work with Vietnam to strengthen the international framework in which we both believe. It’s a framework that enables us to build prosperity, a challenge for both your country and ours in terms of industry and technology, and establish safe, reliable rules that ensure respect for the international order, while avoiding any form of disruption or destabilization of that order.”
Shaping an international framework for outer space cooperation
During the visit, Mr. Lam will attend the International Space Summit in Paris, which is a strategic step, affirming that Vietnam will be part of the space race that is shaping humanity’s future.
French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet said France initiated and is hosting the summit because outer space lacks a legal framework to ensure that all countries can access and benefit from the exploration and exploitation of outer space, which is an asset that should be shared by everyone.
The participation of Vietnam’s top leader and the leaders of many other countries and institutions supports France’s desire to establish a common vision and make recommendations to the United Nations for a global legal framework for outer space governance.
Ambassador Brochet said: “We want to hear from Vietnam and other countries of the Global South about their needs in relation to outer space, how to protect outer space, and how to ensure access to this common asset. France wants to work with developed countries, space powers, and countries that may not yet be space powers but should have full access to outer space.”
The Vietnamese top leader’s participation sends the message that Vietnam supports stronger cooperation in aerospace science and technology and considers outer space linked to its vital national interests and security.
His participation is the highest-level implementation of the Party’s policies and orientations on external relations, international integration, and the development of science, technology, and innovation under Resolutions 57 and 59 and the Master Plan on the effective exploration and use of outer space, thus protecting national interests and promoting equal, sustainable development of the international community.
