Vietnam values and wishes to strengthen multifaceted cooperation with France – its first comprehensive strategic partner in the EU, Party General Secretary To Lam affirmed on May 26 while receiving French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a three-day state visit to Vietnam.

VOV.VN - France has always held an important position in Vietnam’s external policy and was the first EU country with which Vietnam established a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level of diplomatic relations, State President Luong Cuong told French President Emmanuel Macron during talks in Hanoi on May 26.

As Vietnam’s export turnover has yet to fully reflect its potential within the ASEAN region, enhancing the presence of Vietnamese goods and seizing opportunities in this market is essential, particularly amid tariff fluctuations.

As of mid-May 2025, Vietnam exported over 736,000 tonnes of coffee, earning US$4.2 billion, according to the Department of Customs.

A memorial and burial ceremony was solemnly held on May 26 at Nam national martyrs’ cemetery in the central province of Ha Tinh for the remains of four Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who lost their lives during wartime in Laos.

Vietnamese students earned high marks at the 2024–2025 Huawei ICT competition, which concluded on May 24 in Shenzhen, China.

Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang on May 26 said that ample room remains for defence cooperation between Vietnam and France when he met with French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu who is escorting French President Emmanuel Macron on a State visit to Vietnam.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has called on ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to enhance cooperation to bolster peace and stability, uphold multilateralism and a rules-based international order, and support the peaceful settlement of disputes.

A seminar on Vietnam–Singapore Halal trade has been held recently in a hybrid format, aiming to highlight Vietnam’s potential and attract foreign investment in Halal-related industries.

VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on both sides to step up priority cooperation areas, particularly trade facilitation, to soon raise bilateral turnover to US$10 billion.