French Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Vietnamese Presidents To Lam affirmed Monday their desire to strengthen cooperation between their two countries, from defense to energy, and to continue the reconciliation of “memories” post-colonial.
“It is more necessary and essential than ever to deepen and elevate these relationships”insisted To Lam, also head of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
In office since May, he made the first visit in 22 years by a Vietnamese leader to France, where he also participated in the Francophonie summit on Friday and Saturday.
“Our two countries follow the same compass, international law”added Emmanuel Macron, evoking a convergence of views on the crises in the Middle East, in Ukraine and the tensions in the South China Sea.
“We are ready to work with you, with France, to make our efforts to seek solutions for peace”added the Vietnamese president.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea. The Paracel Islands, an archipelago located equidistant from the Chinese and Vietnamese coasts, are notably disputed between Beijing and Hanoi.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Vietnamese President To Lam, left, on October 7, 2024 at the Elysée, in Paris / Teresa Suarez / POOL/AFP
France and Vietnam reaffirmed, in a joint declaration, “the importance of maintaining security and freedom of navigation and unimpeded overflight, as well as the right of innocent passage, in the South China Sea”.
In this context, the two countries are committed to “develop their relations in the field of defense”and to give a “new impulse” to their cooperation in military-industrial matters.
Vietnam will notably ” facilitate “ stopovers by French ships in Vietnamese ports in order to “develop mutual cooperation and exchange of expertise between navies and coast guards”.
In economic matters, “the exceptional success of Vietnam (which has 100 million inhabitants, editor’s note) offers new opportunities for joint projects in the sectors of aeronautics, infrastructure, health, defense, agriculture and energy »noted the French president.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Vietnamese President To Lam, left, on October 7, 2024 at the Elysée, in Paris / Teresa Suarez / POOL/AFP
The French Development Agency (AFD) will launch “the first project by the end of the year” with Electricité du Vietnam to modernize the country’s electricity network, he said.
Referring to the bloody decolonization conflict between France and Vietnam, Emmanuel Macron thanked his interlocutor for “this courage to reconcile these memories and this determination to look to the future”.
French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and veterans attended the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in May.
The two countries also intend to strengthen their human exchanges, particularly academic ones. France has 300,000 citizens of Vietnamese origin, To Lam recalled.