Prime Minister meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice
VGP - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on June 9 had a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice, as part of his tour to France to attend the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (UNOC-3).
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets French President Emmanuel Macron, France's Nice, June 9, 2025 - Photo: VGP
The Prime Minister emphasized that the success of the recent State visit to Viet Nam by the French President has injected strong momentum for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Pham congratulated France on the achievements it has made under the leadership of President Emmanuel Macron, including the successful organization of the UNOC-3.
He affirmed Viet Nam's support for France's role as the host of the UNOC-3, as evidenced by the Southeast Asian nation's approval of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
The Prime Minister underlined Viet Nam's "three diversifications" stragegy, including the diversification of markets, diversification of supply chains, and diversification of products. He called on France to work closely with Viet Nam in promoting the bilateral trade and further opening their markets to each other, especially in the context of the complex developments in the global economy.
Pham also called on France to expedite the ratification process of the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and to urge the European Commission to soon lift the IUU "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood exports.
To maximize the effectiveness of science and technology cooperation as a new pillar of Viet Nam–France relations, the Vietnamese leader stressed the need to effectively implement the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.
He suggested France support Viet Nam in enhancing its capabilities in strategic areas such as aerospace, satellite technology, energy technology, biotechnology, digital technology industries, semiconductor technology, quantum technology, digital infrastructure development, and digital economy.
Pham said that he would closely direct Vietnamese ministries and agencies to effectively implement the agreements reached by senior leaders of both countries.
He recommended that President Macron assign relevant French agencies to work closely with Vietnamese counterparts to jointly speed up multifaceted cooperation to achieve substantive and effective progress that is commensurate with the level of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
The guest took the occasion to invite France to send a high-level delegation to Ha Noi to attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in October 2025.
Macron, for his part, expressed thanks to the Prime Minister for attending and delivering a thoughtful and insightful speech at the UNOC-3.
He expressed his appreciation for the warm, respectful, and attentive reception extended by Viet Nam during his State visit last month, expressing his belief that the Vietnamese leader's current visit to France would contribute to effectively advancing the implementation of the outcomes achieved during the recent visit.
Regarding cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), President Macron agreed with Prime Minister Pham's proposal for France to become one of Viet Nam's leading partners in this field, aiming to ensure the development of AI towards a transparent, fair, and sustainable manner.
In the face of numerous global challenges, the two leaders vowed to further strengthen bilateral relations, positioning each country as a strategic gateway for the other in the Asia–Europe regions.
Both sides pledged to enhance delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level visits, in order to continuously reinforce political trust and uphold cooperation agreements.
In addition, they agreed on the need to boost security, advance energy transition efforts, and continue expanding projects in climate change adaption in the near future.
Both sides emphasized the significance of French medicine in the development of Vietnamese healthcare and asked for fostering medical cooperation, with the goal of making Viet Nam a model for the application of French medical technology in the Southeast Asia.
The two leaders exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern and asserted to closely coordinate to bolster collaboration with Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Both sides affirmed their commitment to supporting the maintenance of peace, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They held that it is necessary to promote maritime cooperation, including the promotion of the blue economy, maritime security, coastal protection, and marine environmental conservation./.
