Vietnam seeks know-how from France on energy

Vietnam is seeking cooperation and experience sharing on energy issues from France as it is striving to become an industrialised country in 2020, a government leader said.
Vietnam is seeking cooperation andexperience sharing on energy issues from France as it is striving tobecome an industrialised country in 2020, a government leader said.

“Energy issues are extremely important to Vietnam ”, Permanent DeputyPrime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung told Christian Jacob, Head of theFrench delegation to the Vietnam-France Finance and Economy Forum’seighth session entitled “Energy and Sustainable Development”, whichjust concluded in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

Seeing the French official in Hanoi on Nov. 19, Deputy PM Hung saidVietnam is in dire need of accessing cutting-edge technologies,highly-efficient solutions and experiences relating to energy security,environmental protection, green technologies and the development ofquality human resources to ensure its sustainable development.

He highlighted the Vietnam-France Finance and Economy Forum as a goodand effective cooperative mechanism and was confident that the resultsof the forum’s eighth session would gain governmental support as wellas an enthusiastic response from businesses of the two countries.

The French official said this session introduced research andinitiatives regarding solutions to both curb CO2 emissions in Vietnamand secure the country’s economic development.

He said Vietnam should tap its high-potential crops and animal breedingto produce bio-fuels while applying new technologies in exploitingfossil fuels to reduce CO2 emissions.

The French official also mentioned nuclear power as a source of efficient energy to serve national development.

He said that his country is willing to share its experience inorganising and selecting models of urban planning, means of transport,and public fuel supply systems with Vietnam as such work greatly helpsreduce energy consumption./.

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (second, right) and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation visit the Port of Antwerp-Bruges on the afternoon of October 22 (local time). (Photo: VNA)

Top leader visits Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium

The leader stressed that Vietnam-Belgium relations had been built and nurtured over the years on the foundations of friendship, trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. Flanders and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges are important partners in this relationship, particularly in maritime affairs, seaports and logistics.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam holds talks with European Council President António Costa (VNA)

Top leader holds talks with European Council President

Vietnam regards the EU as one of its top-priority partners, with substantial shared interests and long-term cooperation potential. It wishes to translate commitments into concrete outcomes and practical cooperation projects that will support development and improve the lives of people on both sides, said top leader To Lam.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (L) meets with President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on October 22. (Photo: VNA)

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On regional and international issues, both leaders agreed to coordinate closely at multilateral forums, uphold multilateralism and international law, and promote free, smooth and unhindered trade. They also underscored the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thus contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (R) and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation of Belgium Maxime Prévot in Brussels on October 22. (Photo: Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

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Trung highlighted the positive development of Vietnam-Belgium relations over the past more than five decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties, particularly following the state visit to Vietnam by the Belgian King and Queen in April 2025. He affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to friendship and cooperation with Belgium, an important partner in Europe.

☕ Afternoon briefing on October 22

☕ Afternoon briefing on October 22

A meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and EC Vice-President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, the UK Royal Navy’s patrol vessel HMS Spey visiting Ho Chi Minh City, and shrimp exports reaching 3.7 billion USD in the first nine months are among news highlights on October 22.

A roundtable discussion on Vietnam–Uruguay relations held by the Uruguay–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group (Photo: VNA)

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Senator Sebastian Da Silva, Chair of the Senate Committee on International Affairs, affirmed that the Uruguay–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group will work to promote inter-parliamentary cooperation and contribute to consolidating solidarity, friendship, and multifaceted ties between the two countries.

☀️ Morning digest on October 22

☀️ Morning digest on October 22

General Secretary and President To Lam's meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Europe, Vietnam announcing four priority topics for the APEC Finance Ministers’ Process 2027, and a gold medal in swimming at the 5th Asian Para Games are among news highlights on October 21 evening.

Tran Cam Tu, Politburo member and Standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat (R) receives Lao youth delegation (Photo: VNA)

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Appreciating the outcomes of cooperation between the two countries’ youth organisations, he suggested both sides continue translating high-level agreements into concrete actions, increase delegation exchanges and strengthen coordination at all levels to make youth cooperation more substantive, in-depth and effective.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrive in Brussels on the afternoon of October 21 (local time), beginning official visits to the European Union (EU) and Belgium. (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader begins official visits to EU, Belgium

The visits are expected to consolidate political trust, deepen relations with the two partners and translate existing high-level commitments into concrete, practical actions, laying the groundwork for a new and higher stage of development in Vietnam's relations with the EU and Belgium.