Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang engaged in discussions with French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans Catherine Vautrin in Paris, concentrating on ways to enhance bilateral defense cooperation.
The discussions occurred during the official visit of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam to France, where he attended the International Space Summit, joined by his spouse and a senior Vietnamese delegation.
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Giang mentioned that this marks the second official trip to France by the Vietnamese leader since 2024, highlighting the robust political commitment of both countries’ leaders to enhance their comprehensive strategic partnership in a meaningful and efficient way.
He stated that the defense relations between Vietnam and France have consistently strengthened, with collaboration broadening across multiple domains, such as exchanges of high-ranking delegations; a defense cooperation framework for deputy-minister-level strategic discussions; military medical support; education and training initiatives; search and rescue operations; United Nations peacekeeping activities; maritime partnerships; and the defense sector.
Giang expressed gratitude to the French Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans for offering scholarships to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense in 2025 and 2026 in areas required by the Vietnamese side.
France has aided Vietnam in enhancing the skills of its personnel involved in UN peacekeeping missions through training sessions, consistently dispatched experts to collaborate with Vietnam’s Peacekeeping Department, and assisted in the placement of Vietnamese officers to the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic, he mentioned.
Vautrin stated that France values its extensive strategic partnership with Vietnam. She emphasized the long-standing historical and cultural connections between the two nations and conveyed France's desire to enhance sustainable strategic trust.
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France is prepared to support Vietnam, collaborate on strategic concepts and initiatives, and join forces to enhance strategic independence, she stated. The French minister praised the ongoing progress in bilateral defense partnership, calling it a crucial element of the broader Vietnam-France relationship. She stated that collaboration has grown in a practical and efficient manner, aligning with the agreements made by the senior leaders and defense ministries of both countries.
Vietnam is prepared to welcome French military staff to participate in international defense officials’ courses and Vietnamese language classes, along with military medical trainees for internships at military hospitals affiliated with the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, he stated.
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He greeted a delegation from the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans at the third Vietnam International Defense Expo in Ha Noi this December. He additionally suggested that both parties hasten the signing of a memorandum of understanding regarding the search for Vietnamese and French armed forces members who are still missing, as well as the exchange of wartime artifacts, thereby establishing a basis for collaboration in this humanitarian sector.
The two parties committed to enhancing bilateral defense relations, emphasizing exchanges of delegations, especially at high levels; sustaining strategic consultations and dialogue frameworks; cooperation in training; involvement in UN peacekeeping; and collaboration in the defense industry.