Ho Chi Minh City marks French National Day, strengthens Strategic Partnership with France
WVR - Speaking at the Ceremony to celebrate the 236th anniversary of the French Republic's National Day (July 14, 1789 - July 14, 2025), Ms. Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser - Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City highly appreciated the strong development of the Vietnam - France Strategic Partnership with Ho Chi Minh City always being a pioneering, dynamic and effective locality in bilateral cooperation activities.
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| French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser speaks at the French National Day celebration (Photo: Bao Lan) |
French Consul General Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser also expressed her deep gratitude to the authorities of Ho Chi Minh City for their active support of France’s cultural, economic, and investment projects in the locality over the past period.
She emphasized that 2024 marks an important milestone with the official visit to France by General Secretary To Lam, and that 2025 will be even more special with the State visit to Vietnam by President Emmanuel Macron. These high-level visits not only reflect strong political trust but also open up prospects for deep strategic cooperation in areas such as defense, aerospace, railways, healthcare, and energy between the two countries.
In addition, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s trip to France to attend the third United Nations Ocean Conference has further deepened strategic dialogue and demonstrated the two countries’ alignment on global issues such as sustainable development and environmental protection.
Consul General Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser also affirmed that France will continue to accompany Ho Chi Minh City in priority areas such as sustainable urban development, digital transformation, clean energy, and climate change adaptation.
On behalf of the local authorities, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha extended his congratulations and affirmed the city’s commitment to further strengthening the enduring friendship between Vietnam and France in general, as well as the deep cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and various French localities in particular.
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| Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Loc Ha delivered a speech congratulating France on National Day (Photo: Bao Lan). |
Nguyen Loc Ha emphasized the historical significance of July 14, a symbol of the ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity—not only for the French people but also as an inspiration to the entire world. In Vietnam, this occasion serves as a moment to reflect on the development of bilateral relations and to honor the shared humanistic values pursued by both nations.
“The Vietnam–France relationship, built on a profound foundation of historical, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges, has been continuously strengthened and developed over more than half a century. Especially since October 2024, when the two countries officially established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, bilateral cooperation has entered a new phase—broader, deeper, and more substantive across various fields, including political-diplomatic relations, economic and trade cooperation, healthcare, education, science and technology, and culture,” emphasized Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Loc Ha.
Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha also noted that, as the country’s economic locomotive, Ho Chi Minh City has always taken the lead in promoting cooperation with France. In 2024, bilateral trade turnover between the city and France reached over 950 million USD. Currently, there are 40 representative offices of French enterprises operating in the city, with a total registered capital of nearly 330 million USD, making France one of the major investors in Ho Chi Minh City—ranking 17th out of 129 countries and territories.
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| Both leaders affirmed to continue promoting many activities to contribute to strengthening the long-term relationship between the two countries and two peoples. (Photo: Bao Lan) |
In addition, in this new stage of development—especially following the expansion of Ho Chi Minh City’s urban space through the merger with the provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau—numerous strategic cooperation opportunities have been and are continuing to open up for businesses from both countries.
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| Many guests attended the event (Photo: Bao Lan) |
Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha affirmed that beyond economic projects or infrastructure development, the cultural imprint of France in Ho Chi Minh City has become increasingly prominent. Activities such as the artistic lighting of the City Hall on the occasion of April 30, 2025, international film events, and the regular programming of the French Institute in Vietnam have all contributed to enriching the city’s spiritual and cultural life, fostering community connection, and strengthening the friendship between the two sides through cultural exchange.
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| The choir sang the French National Anthem right in front of the Consulate General building (Photo: Bao Lan) |
On behalf of the city government, Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha also pledged to continue accompanying and facilitating all institutional, policy, and investment environment conditions, in the spirit of “harmonized interests, shared risks,” so that cooperative initiatives can quickly take root and deliver sustainable results.
