On the morning of June 7, in Estonia, Prime Minister Chinh met with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Finland and Vietnamese community representatives in Estonia. This was the final activity of the Vietnamese delegation during their official visit to Estonia.

At noon (local time), the Prime Minister, his spouse and delegation departed Estonia, concluding the official visit at the invitation of Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.

During his four-day stay in France from June 7 to 11, PM Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to attend the third United Nations Ocean Conference and engage in several bilateral activities.

Vietnam and France established diplomatic ties on April 12, 1973. Prior to that, France had opened a representative mission to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam after the 1954 Geneva Agreement. The long-standing relationship and extensive cooperation across multiple areas laid the groundwork for the two countries to upgrade their ties to a strategic partnership in 2013, on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

In October last year, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam paid an official visit to France. The two sides issued a joint statement announcing the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, making France the first EU member to establish the highest-level relationship with Vietnam.

Both nations have maintained a wide range of bilateral cooperation mechanisms and coordinated closely at international forums and multilateral organizations. In May this year, French President Emmanuel Macron paid a state visit to Vietnam.

France is currently Vietnam’s fifth-largest trading partner in Europe after the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Italy, with trade turnover reaching US$5.42 billion in 2024. It ranks 16th among 147 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 700 projects totaling US$3.95 billion in registered capital. Vietnam has 20 investment projects in France, with total registered capital of US$38 million. France is the leading bilateral European ODA donor to Vietnam, while Vietnam ranks second among recipient countries of French ODA.

The two countries have signed an intergovernmental agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in March 2007, as well as an agreement on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in November 2009.

Vietnam and France have signed an agreement on agricultural cooperation, along with a framework agreement on scientific and technical collaboration in agriculture and rural development with the Centre for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development (September 2023).

In education and training, both sides are implementing several key projects, including the high-quality engineering training program in Vietnam, the Vietnam–France management training center, and the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi. An intergovernmental agreement on education cooperation was signed in October 2024.

So far, the two countries have successfully organized 12 alternating sessions in France and Vietnam, with the most recent held in Hanoi in April 2023.

Amid ongoing and complex developments around the world and in the region, this visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh carries important significance. It conveys a clear message of peace, stability, cooperation and development. Bilaterally, it is a timely opportunity to further deepen ties with France, an influential partner in Europe.

Notably, during his time in France, Prime Minister Chinh and his delegation will attend the third United Nations Ocean Conference, which focuses on scaling up action and partnering for ocean-based solutions. This important gathering sets the direction for concluding the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The conference agenda spans a wide array of pressing global issues, all of which require strengthened international cooperation to tackle marine challenges and enhance ocean governance for long-term development. Its outcomes are expected to shape policies not only at the global and regional levels, but also within each nation.

At the first UN Ocean Conference, Vietnam made a voluntary pledge to develop locally managed marine areas to restore and sustainably use coastal ecosystems. At the second conference, it committed to establishing a Center for Biodiversity and Rare Species Conservation and actively preparing for an international treaty on plastic pollution.

Vietnam, France issue joint statement

Vietnam and France have issued a joint statement on the outcomes of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Vietnam from May 25 to 27.