PM Le Minh Hung calls for Airbus support on EVIPA, aviation expansion
VOV.VN - Prime Minister Le Minh Hung called on Airbus to advocate for France’s early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and support the country's aviation development during a reception on November 4 for Wouter van Wersch, President of Airbus International, one of the world's leading aerospace corporations.
The Government leader welcomed the leader of the European aerospace giant to Vietnam on the 40th anniversary of Airbus’s presence in the country and praised the group's four-decade partnership. He noted that Airbus supplies the majority of Vietnam’s commercial aircraft fleet as well as its observation satellite systems.
PM Hung emphasized that Vietnam always attaches importance to developing relations with France, its first Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the EU, with economic, trade, and investment cooperation serving as a core pillar.
The official visit to France by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam on September 10-11, 2026, deepened bilateral ties through concrete projects, including those with Airbus, Hung told his guest.
Pointing to a market of over 100 million people with rapidly rising incomes and major infrastructure developments, including Long Thanh and Gia Binh international airports linked with special economic zones and logistics hubs, PM Hung highlighted Vietnam's great demand for aviation industry development and fleet expansion.
Entering a new era of development with huge potential for global partnership, PM Hung urged Airbus to step up cooperation commensurate with the Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He called on Airbus and its Vietnamese partners to speed up aerospace projects, promote technology transfer, train high-quality human resources, and enhance production capacity, flight safety monitoring, and aviation operations.
The Government chief asked Airbus to examine establishing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) centers in Vietnam, particularly at Long Thanh and Gia Binh international airports. He also requested Airbus to support Vietnamese airlines in carrying out aircraft purchase agreements to expand their fleets and open new international routes, while coordinating closely with domestic agencies on space sector cooperation.
On this occasion, PM Hung expressed his desire for Airbus to leverage its voice to urge France toward prompt ratification of the EVIPA, creating favorable conditions for European enterprises to boost trade and investment in Vietnam. Reaffirming that the Vietnamese Government continues to improve the business environment, he expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation with Airbus will enter a more substantive and effective phase of development.
For his part, Wouter van Wersch affirmed that Vietnam is a top priority for Airbus. He disclosed that 230 Airbus aircraft are currently operating in Vietnam, with 220 more scheduled for deployment in the coming period. Hailing Vietnam’s strong investments in aviation infrastructure and its broader ecosystem, van Wersch noted these developments open major opportunities for cooperation.
Concurring with PM Hung’s proposals, the Airbus leader reaffirmed the group’s long-term commitment to strategic cooperation with Vietnam across commercial aviation, space, industrial manufacturing, technology transfer, high-quality workforce development, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence applications.
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