French President concludes state visit to Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) – French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse departed Hanoi on May 27 afternoon, concluding their state visit to Vietnam from May 25 to 27, made at the invitation of Vietnamese President Luong Cuong.

During the visit, President Macron and his spouse, Brigitte Macron, laid a wreath and paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, and also paid homage to war heroes and martyrs at the monument on Bac Son street in Hanoi.

Party General Secretary To Lam and President Macron visited the Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace and jointly planted a friendship tree at the site.

The Vietnamese Party leader and the French President, together with their spouses, visited the Temple of Literature. There, they viewed a photo exhibition highlighting key milestones in bilateral relations, organised by the Vietnam News Agency; toured the historical relic site; and enjoyed a performance of Nha nhac (Royal Court Music of Hue) by artists from the Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theatre.

General Secretary Lam hosted a reception for President Macron. President Luong Cuong chaired the official welcome ceremony and state banquet in honour of President Macron and his spouse. The two Presidents held talks and a joint press meeting, and together witnessed the handover of 14 cooperation documents between the two countries. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man also met with President Macron and accompanied the guest on a tour of the underground archaeological exhibition space at the National Assembly building.

At the meetings and talks, the Vietnamese leaders welcomed President Macron and the high-level delegation of France on their state visit to Vietnam. This marks the first visit to the Southeast Asian nation by a French President in nearly a decade, and the first high-level exchange between the two countries since the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2024.

President Macron congratulated Vietnam on its growing role and stature in the region and globally, affirming that France wishes to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in traditional areas such as health care, education, and culture, while also expanding to new areas including infrastructure, urban transport, aerospace, new energy, and historical memory, aligning with the current Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The two sides shared updates on their respective countries' economic and social development, reviewed recent progress in bilateral ties, and discussed key directions for future cooperation. They also exchanged views on international issues of mutual interest.

As part of the visit, President Macron and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha engaged in a working breakfast with business representatives from both countries in the energy sector to exchange perspectives, visions, and cooperation needs during each country's energy transition process, aiming to foster collaboration in this field.

President Macron and his spouse, accompanied by Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, visited and talked to students at the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi. They also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the VNVC vaccine and bioproduct manufacturing plant, the largest and most modern vaccine production facility in Vietnam to date, developed with technology transferred by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.

The French guests also toured Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of General Secretary To Lam, joined Brigitte Macron in a trip to the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

On this occasion, the two countries’ leaders issued a joint statement affirming their determination to deepen bilateral relations to meet the aspirations of both peoples./.