Paris (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam’s official visit to France is expected to create fresh momentum for Vietnam-France cooperation in strategic areas such as energy, infrastructure, technology, innovation and sustainable development, while opening more opportunities for French businesses to invest and contribute technology to Vietnam’s development.
Speaking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Paris on the occasion of the visit, Dang Nguyen Ngu, President of Schneider Electric Vietnam and Cambodia, said the upgrading of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership reflects the two countries’ shared desire to deepen cooperation in fields of strategic importance, from energy and infrastructure to technology, innovation and sustainable development.
For Schneider Electric, a French company with a 190-year history and more than three decades of operations in Vietnam, the visit reaffirmed the deep trust and strong foundation of bilateral cooperation, he said.
The company’s journey in Vietnam has closely followed the country’s development, from supporting major power infrastructure projects in its early years, including the 500kV North-South transmission line, to contributing to industrial modernisation, digital transformation and sustainable growth today.
Ngu said the strengthened bilateral framework is creating new opportunities in areas increasingly important to Vietnam’s future, including energy transition, AI-ready data centres and “AI factories”, advanced manufacturing, smart industries and sustainable urban development.
As Vietnam pursues double-digit economic growth and aims to become a developed country by 2045, energy will serve as a strategic foundation for the next phase of development, he said.
Schneider Electric aims to become an energy technology partner of Vietnam by combining electrification, automation and digitalisation to strengthen resilience, improve competitiveness and support sustainable growth.
Ngu identified three major areas where the company sees significant potential for expanded cooperation.
The first is digital infrastructure and AI-ready data centres. The rapid growth of AI and the digital economy is driving demand for high-performance, energy-efficient data centres. Schneider Electric is investing globally in technologies covering power distribution, cooling, energy management and digital monitoring. Vietnam, he said, is emerging as an important destination for digital infrastructure investment and has strong potential to develop sustainable and resilient data centres.
The second is smart manufacturing and industrial digitalisation. As Vietnam strengthens its position as a global manufacturing hub, businesses are seeking higher productivity, resilience, quality and sustainability. Schneider Electric combines industrial automation, software, digital twin technology, AI-powered data analytics and energy management solutions to support this transition.
The third is sustainable infrastructure and smart cities. Accelerating investment in airports, seaports, railways and urban rail systems presents significant opportunities. The combination of electrification, automation and digital technologies can help create more efficient, resilient and sustainable infrastructure, Ngu said.
Based on more than 30 years in Vietnam, Schneider Electric considers the country an attractive investment destination in Asia, supported by its economic foundation, young skilled workforce, growing middle class and commitment to digital and green transformation.
Ngu said Vietnam and France have considerable room to deepen cooperation in clean energy, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and innovation. To unlock more investment, he called for faster development of energy and infrastructure, greater policy predictability, effective implementation mechanisms, stronger public-private partnerships, technology transfer and greater investment in human resources and digital skills.
He also stressed the need for closer coordination among governments, businesses, academia and leading technology groups to build innovation ecosystems and strengthen local capabilities.
Schneider Electric remains committed to long-term cooperation with Vietnam, contributing to a more resilient, competitive and sustainable economy, Ngu affirmed./.
