Fresh off a trip to Moscow where he met Russian leaders to talk trade, party ties, defense, and energy, Vietnamese President Tô Lâm packed his bags and headed straight for Paris. According to state news agency VNA, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and a delegation of diplomats were waiting on the tarmac at Orly Airport to greet him as soon as his plane touched down.
The itinerary has Tô Lâm sitting down face-to-face with French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside a stop at the Global Space Summit in Paris. Observers following the international news will notice a packed agenda, ranging from defense and military cooperation all the way to aerospace technology.
Local reports note that Vietnam and France will also be digging into the rare earths sector—a critical resource for tech industries—as well as energy and transport infrastructure. Put simply, Hanoi is using the visit to upgrade their strategic partnership and tap into France’s strengths in science and innovation.
