Hanoi (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam’s planned attendance at the International Space Summit is a strong sign of friendship and trust between Vietnam and France and opens up new prospects for bilateral space cooperation, according to the summit's Secretary-General Gen. Philippe Adam.
The presence of a head of state is particularly significant given the geographical istance involved and the leaders’ demanding schedules, said Adam, a former Commander of the French Space Command, told the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the upcoming official visit to France by General Secretary and President Lam.
France sees General Secretary and President Lam’s attendance at the September 9-10 summit in Paris as a demonstration of friendship and trust that will be highly valued in upcoming bilateral discussions, he said.
Beyond Vietnam-France ties, he said the Vietnamese leader's participation will add an important perspective to summit debates on the future of the space sector and the role of international cooperation. The goal is to bring together representatives from different regions to widen views on space activity.
On cooperation prospects, Vietnam’s desire to improve its space capabilities is another expression of trust in France, Adam said, adding that common principles need to be translated into concrete action through more detailed talks between the two sides.
France can use its experience and capabilities to help partners on operational and technical fronts with the aim of strengthening autonomy. Operationally, the two countries could cooperate in identifying needs, developing operational plans, training personnel, operating equipment and supplying space services.
On the technical side, France can help define technical requirements and system architectures, develop technology, assure security and run training courses. Those activities will aim to strengthen a partner’s autonomy.
Beyond capacity building, he said France can also offer equipment and service solutions through commercial or non-commercial arrangements and under short-or long-term approaches.
Potential areas range from launch vehicles, satellites and ground systems to mission systems, data exploitation and training of operational personnel. Those links across the space ecosystem open broad scope for Vietnam-France cooperation as Vietnam gradually strengthens its technological capabilities and workforce.
Regarding the summit, Adam said the key challenge is helping the international community develop an appropriate approach to issues that are emerging and will become increasingly evident in the coming years.
According to him, space activity is expanding rapidly and bringing new challenges that are expected to grow in number and complexity, while the pace of change shows no sign of slowing, he said.
He warned that these issues would not disappear on their own. Space is a borderless environment, and conventional borders cannot be established there as on Earth. Finding solutions is therefore a shared responsibility.
The challenge, he said, is to manage identified risks while ensuring fair competition and respecting each country’s recognised right to freely use and explore outer space as a common asset, so that this right can continue to be exercised in the future.
Public and private actors have launched numerous initiatives, but individual efforts are not enough given the global nature of outer space, the former Commander said. Only coordinated action by the entire international community can ensure the long-term preservation of the conditions established under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty./.
