Politics

Ho Chi Minh City gathering celebrates France's Bastille Day

Ho Chi Minh City has maintained productive partnerships with the Brest Metropolitan Area and the city of Lyon, particularly in urban planning, heritage preservation and urban lighting, while cooperation in education and training has also delivered positive results.

VNA
Leaders of HUFO and IDECAF present flowers to congratulate Etienne Ranaivoson, Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City, on the country's Bastille Day. (Photo: VNA)
Leaders of HUFO and IDECAF present flowers to congratulate Etienne Ranaivoson, Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City, on the country's Bastille Day. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – A gathering was held by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) and the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) on July 7 to mark France's Bastille Day (July 14, 1789–2026).

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, Chairwoman of the Vietnam – France Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City, said bilateral ties have grown steadily deeper, broader and more effective despite historical changes, living up to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

She noted that cooperation between their localities has become a distinctive feature of Vietnam – France relations since the early 1990s. Hundreds of joint projects have since been implemented in urban planning, environmental protection, smart city building, health care, education, culture, human resources development, digital transformation and sustainable development.

Ho Chi Minh City has maintained productive partnerships with the Brest Metropolitan Area and the city of Lyon, particularly in urban planning, heritage preservation and urban lighting, while cooperation in education and training has also delivered positive results, she added.

Dung expressed her hope that the French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City will continue working closely with the friendship association to expand meaningful people-to-people exchange programmes, thereby further strengthening ties between the two countries.

French Consul General Etienne Ranaivoson described the 2024 upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as a testament to the trust, credibility and durability of Vietnam – France cooperation. Amid growing global uncertainties, he said, the partnership stands out as one of the rare bright examples in international relations.

He also praised Vietnam's dynamic development, particularly that of Ho Chi Minh City, where most French businesses operating in Vietnam are based and where the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry has its headquarters.

The French Consulate General, he said, will continue serving as a bridge to promote cooperation, especially in culture, education, finance and technology.

On the occasion, HUFO and IDECAF inaugurated the Vietnam – France Art Exchange 2026 cultural space, featuring paintings by six Vietnamese and French artists that showcase artistic connection and synergy between the two countries./.

VNA
VNA
#NQ 59 #Ho Chi Minh City #France #people-to-people exchange #France's Bastille Day #Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations #Institute of Cultural Exchange with France #NQ 59-BT Ho Chi Minh City France
Follow VietnamPlus

International integration

Resolution in action

Related News

Financial buildings in central Ho Chi Minh City along the Saigon River, facing the Thu Thiem peninsula in An Khanh ward. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City attracts significant investment from France

Ho Chi Minh City is emerging as an attractive destination for French investors, particularly in infrastructure, sustainable urban development and green transition. French investment of more than 2.2 billion USD is contributing to economic growth and opening up broader prospects for long-term cooperation.

The meeting between Nguyen Kim Son (right), member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vice Chairman of its Commission for Strategies and Policies, and National Secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF) Fabien Roussel (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam attends 40th Congress of French Communist Party

Nguyen Kim Son, Vice Chairman of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for Strategies and Policies, affirmed Vietnam always treasures its traditional friendship with France and the PCF, noting that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always remember and appreciate the valuable support that the PCF has extended to Vietnam during the past struggles for national liberation, as well as the current period of national construction and development.

Delegates at the France-Vietnam Business Forum 2026 (Photo: VNA)

FPT links Vietnamese, French businesses to advance AI transformation

Present in France since 2008, FPT now serves as a technology partner to major enterprises including La Poste, Air Liquide, Quadient, Sagemcom, SNCF and Geopost. It aims to become one of the top 50 IT firms in France while further expanding its footprint across French-speaking markets.

See more

Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man (right) receives Attorney General of Malaysia Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar in Hanoi on July 7. (Photo: VNA)

NA leader hosts Malaysia’s Attorney General

NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man praised the increasingly close cooperation between the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam and the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia in sharing professional experience, upholding justice and protecting citizens’ rights, saying such coordination has contributed to improving crime prevention and combating efforts, ensuring security and promoting socio-economic development in both countries.

The Vietnamese delegation holds a working session with France's Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) to exchange experience in public policymaking. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, France enhance cooperation in public policymaking

Nguyen Kim Son, Deputy Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for Policies and Strategies, briefed the French side on Vietnam's development process, its socialist-oriented market economy, and the Commission’s role in advising the Party leadership on major socio-economic policies, institutional reform and national development strategies.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Loc Ha receives the commanders of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's 83rd taskforce on July 6. (Photo: sggp.org.vn)

Ho Chi Minh City’s official hosts commanders of Chinese naval taskforce

The visit by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's 83rd taskforce helps implement the important common perceptions reached by the senior leaders of the two Parties, States and militaries of Vietnam and China on promoting more substantive defence-security cooperation, enhancing political trust and deepening mutual understanding.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Chairman of the Central Council for Emulation and Commendation, addresses the council’s meeting in Hanoi on July 6. (Photo: VNA)

Emulation, commendation movements must be tied to concrete targets, tasks: PM

The council reviewed its performance and the implementation of emulation and commendation work during the first half of the year, agreed on key tasks for the remainder of 2026, and considered nominations for the conferment and posthumous conferment of the “Hero of the People's Armed Forces” and “Hero of Labour” titles on collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements.

Secretary of the National Assembly (NA) Party Committee and NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks at the meeting to give opinions on the establishment of a specialised research unit under the NA Party Committee and the Department of Digital Transformation under the NA Office (Photo: VNA)

National Assembly's Party Committee to establish research unit

The Standing Board approved the formation of the specialised research unit, describing it as a necessary step to implement the orientations of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat while strengthening the NA Party Committee's research and advisory capacity.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (fourth from left, first row) and other delegates offer flowers and incense at the monument of late Party General Secretary Tran Phu and the memorial stele dedicated to fallen heroes and martyrs at Le Thi Rieng Park. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister reaffirms commitment to recovering all fallen soldiers’ remains

The launch of the search and recovery operation for martyrs’ remains at Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City on July 6 is part of the nationwide 500-day campaign launched in April in Quang Tri province ahead of the 80th anniversary of Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947–2027), underscoring Vietnam’s determination to better care for people with meritorious service and fulfil the long-standing aspirations of martyrs’ families nationwide.

Cam Hoa solar power plant in Ha Tinh province is equipped with approximately 152,600 solar panels (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam joins global push for energy efficiency

Participation in the Montreal Declaration also provides a foundation for Vietnam to explore deeper engagement with the IEA's multilateral energy efficiency initiatives, offering opportunities to access data, policy experience, technical tools and public-private partnership models in energy conservation.