The visit by the Vietnamese Embassy delegation aimed to implement the commitment of the two countries’ senior leaders, and to further open new chapters in economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation, grounded in their long-standing historical ties and friendship.
Verdun, located in Meuse Province in the expansive Grand-Est region of northeastern France, occupies a strategic position as a “crossroads of Europe,” bordering major markets such as Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.
For this reason, the Vietnamese Embassy in France seeks to maximise the advantages offered by the EU–Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), while also fostering decentralised cooperation — a distinctive strength in bilateral relations.
During a meeting with Mayor Samuel Hazard of Verdun, the delegation learned about the city’s rich historical traditions that local residents take pride in.
Mayor Hazard presented Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang with precious archival materials, including a royal edict issued by Emperor Khai Dinh, a copy of the city’s Golden Book bearing the emperor’s signature during his visit in 1922, and documents noting that Tourane (now Da Nang) named a street “Verdun Street” in 1919.
Samuel Hazard emphasised that their shared history — even with its complex chapters — has provided the firmest foundation for mutual understanding, respect, friendship, and today’s cooperation between the two nations.
Building on this history, both sides have continuously strengthened cooperation in various fields. Economically, many businesses in Verdun have already established trade relations in Viet Nam, such as the dairy group Lactalis and companies specialising in railway equipment and aviation services.
Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang highly valued these effective connections and emphasised the vast potential that remains untapped.
He noted that Vietnamese enterprises are increasingly proactive in seeking opportunities to invest and establish production in Europe, making full use of the advantages brought by the EU–Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
On cultural and exchange programmes aimed at building a future of peace and friendship — in which young people will play a crucial role — Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang and Mayor Samuel Hazard recalled French President François Mitterrand, a native of Verdun.
François Mitterrand was the first French president, and indeed the first leader of a Western country, to pay an official visit to Viet Nam after 1975. That historic visit carried a spirit of reconciliation and forward-looking cooperation. He also called on the US to normalise relations with Viet Nam, contributing significantly to the lifting of the embargo and the normalisation of bilateral ties in 1994.
In his talks with Xavier Delarue, Prefect of Meuse Province, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang affirmed that the recent upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, during General Secretary To Lam’s visit to France in October 2024, has created new momentum for strengthening the values of cooperation and friendship — from central government and ministries to enterprises and localities.
The Ambassador underlined key strategic areas with strong potential for collaboration, such as nuclear energy, transportation, and scientific and technological innovation.
For his part, Prefect Xavier Delarue welcomed Asian and Vietnamese investors, particularly in areas of Meuse’s strength such as the food industry and agriculture.
This plan is well aligned with Viet Nam’s current orientation, as Vietnamese enterprises are seeking not only to import but also to establish production and processing facilities directly in France. This would allow Vietnamese goods to penetrate more deeply into supply chains in France and across Europe. On this occasion, both sides also considered the possibility of organising Beyond economic issues, environmental protection and the fight against climate change were also discussed in detail. Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang shared the major challenges Viet Nam is facing, including rising sea levels in the southern provinces, as well as the country’s ambitious target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Prefect Xavier Delarue suggested that this could become a new area of decentralised cooperation.
During his working trip to the city of Verdun, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang also attended the opening ceremony of the “Vietnamese Goods Week” at the Carrefour hypermarket in Verdun.
