"Friendship, partnership and trust are the foundation of Vietnam-France relations"

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet shared about activities to celebrate French National Day, the driving force of Vietnam-France bilateral cooperation and future directions.

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet answers questions from the press. (Photo: Viet Duc/VNA)

On the occasion of the French National Day (July 14, 1789 - July 14, 2025) and towards the first anniversary of the day Vietnam and France upgraded their relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (October 7, 2024 - October 7, 2025), French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet gave an interview to the Vietnamese press about activities to celebrate French National Day, the driving force of bilateral cooperation and future directions.

- France will hold a National Day celebration event on July 14. This is one of the biggest events of the year of the French Embassy to connect the French and Vietnamese people. Could you share more about the 2025 celebration program? What is the theme or special highlight of this year's event?

Ambassador Olivier Brochet: More than ever, July 14 this year is marked by the friendship, cooperation and partnership between France and Vietnam so that our two countries can face all challenges together. This day is an opportunity for all of us to come together and celebrate the three core values of France: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

July 14 commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789, which marked the end of the old regime in France. At the same time, we celebrate July 14, 1790, the "Festival of the Federation," which symbolizes the unity of the French people under the new democratic republic.

In Hanoi , we celebrate this holiday with a very special meaning, that is to honor friendship. This year, the French National Day event will return to the scale it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are delighted to welcome not only distinguished Vietnamese guests, from the diplomatic community, government agencies, large enterprises, but also the French community in Hanoi. A pleasant surprise is that there will be a Vietnamese female singer performing French songs in both French and Vietnamese.

- The Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has made many remarkable strides in 2024 and the first half of 2025, especially with the visit to Vietnam by French President Emmanuel Macron. How does the Ambassador assess the current momentum of cooperation and the most outstanding results in the bilateral relationship?

Ambassador Olivier Brochet: I think there are three keywords that can accurately describe the special and positive momentum in the current France-Vietnam relationship: Friendship - Partnership - Trust.

First of all, friendship is one of the most profound characteristics of the Franco-Vietnamese relationship, shaped by a long history full of ups and downs. Both countries cherish this special quality, which is demonstrated by looking back at the past together with calmness and goodwill.

General Secretary To Lam receives French President Emmanuel Macron. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

This year, during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Vietnam, President Emmanuel Macron and General Secretary To Lam planted a friendship tree together in the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace, near Ba Dinh Square - where 80 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence. This is a strong symbol of the special relationship between the two countries.

Regarding the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, this is an important result of General Secretary To Lam's visit to Paris last October. During the following 8 months, the two countries worked hard to reach the time when President Emmanuel Macron visited Vietnam, a series of major agreements were signed, about 30 agreements covering all areas of bilateral cooperation. Notable among them are agreements on defense (with a letter of intent to enhance cooperation between the two defense ministers), sustainable development (cooperation on energy transition, development of transport infrastructure, especially railways) and innovation (including health and an intergovernmental agreement on scientific research).

In particular, the agreement between the French Development Agency (AFD) and Vietnam Electricity (EVN) is the first Just Energy Transition Partnership Agreement (JETP) signed in Vietnam, paving the way for many other agreements to support Vietnam in its energy transition and commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.

Regarding the keyword "Trust," it is no coincidence that President Macron began his Southeast Asian tour with Vietnam as his destination. This demonstrates the special respect that the President has for Vietnam, as well as his desire to share views on the international situation, promoting a cooperative relationship based on trust. This is demonstrated through the spirit of close cooperation in the President's discussions with senior Vietnamese leaders, where the two sides identified ways for France and Vietnam to better contribute to international peace and stability, protect international law, and jointly contribute to the global order.

- Vietnam has just launched the largest administrative reform in decades. How does the Ambassador assess this reform process and its impact on enhancing Vietnam-France cooperation?

Ambassador Olivier Brochet: Like many other international observers, we are very impressed by the scale of the reforms that Vietnam is implementing, with the rapid pace of implementation and the remarkable initial results, both at the central and local levels. I have clearly seen the huge workload that local officials are shouldering but with great determination to complete their tasks on time.

We understand that the reform goal that General Secretary To Lam has set out is to create a more efficient administrative apparatus, with a speeding up of the decision-making process. We, from embassies, partners, development cooperation agencies, to foreign enterprises wishing to invest long-term in Vietnam, are very hopeful to soon see concrete results from this reform. I am confident that successful administrative reform will create strong momentum for expanding bilateral cooperation, including cooperation between France and Vietnam.

On the French side, we are ready to support Vietnam in this process, especially through the administrative cooperation programs that the two countries have built over the years, from the central to local levels.

We hope to continue to welcome more Vietnamese officials, civil servants and senior leaders to France to participate in training programs at the French National Institute of Public Administration (INSP), or at other prestigious French administrative schools. Our goal is to facilitate a two-way exchange, not only in professional skills but also in modern state governance experience - something that France has also experienced in its public administration reform process.

- In the context of current global trade tensions, according to the Ambassador, what are the challenges and priority levers to strengthen the economic partnership between France and Vietnam?

Ambassador Olivier Brochet: One major advantage that Vietnam holds is that it has signed and implemented the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union (EVFTA) in the past few years. In ASEAN, there are only two countries that have a free trade agreement with the EU. The EVFTA is a very important agreement, fair, balanced and highly predictable for the future of bilateral trade relations.

We hope that this agreement will not be negatively affected by other trade agreements signed under less favorable conditions. And most importantly, both sides need to continue to fully implement the commitments in the EVFTA, which have been ensured so far. However, we also need to be vigilant against non-tariff barriers that may be applied in a non-transparent manner, affecting the real value of this agreement.

- 2024 is expected to witness an impressive growth of nearly 13%, reaching more than 5.4 billion USD in bilateral trade turnover. According to the Ambassador, what is the main driving force behind this result? And in the future, which areas will become the strengths of economic cooperation between the two countries?

Ambassador Olivier Brochet: We are very happy with this growth, which is beneficial for both sides. Our exports to Vietnam are still increasing, similar to Vietnam's exports to France. We are confident in the future of French exports to Vietnam, especially in the major sectors.

In the aviation sector, 2025 marked major contracts with Airbus, including 20 A330neo aircraft for Vietjet during the visit of the French President, 100 A320 and A321 aircraft ordered at the Le Bourget air show by Vietjet. This will take place over the next 10-15 years and contribute significantly to France's annual exports to Vietnam.

Vietjet Air aircraft handover ceremony at Orly airport, Paris. (Photo: Tri Dung/VNA)

In the field of health, this is a field that for some years has been number one among French exports to Vietnam and is experiencing very important developments every year. The French health sector is very strong and internationally recognized. The needs of the Vietnamese people are also increasing, Vietnam is not only a market but also a partner within the framework of a comprehensive strategic relationship.

A very important agreement has been signed between Sanofi and Vietnam's leading vaccination network VNVC to build a large vaccine manufacturing plant near Ho Chi Minh City, helping Vietnam develop and produce vaccines researched in Sanofi's laboratories.

In the agricultural and food sector, trade is also growing to meet the new demands of the Vietnamese population, especially the middle class with its changing tastes. French products, from agricultural products, processed foods to wines, meet the expectations of the Vietnamese public. For all these reasons, we believe that our bilateral trade will continue to grow strongly in the coming years.

- Thank you very much, Ambassador!

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/tinh-huu-nghi-quan-he-doi-tac-va-niem-tin-la-nen-tang-quan-he-viet-nam-phap-214811.html