President To Lam Meets Le Havre Mayor Édouard Philippe
Le Havre, The Gulf Observer: Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam visited Le Havre on Sunday as part of his official visit to France, where he held a meeting with Édouard Philippe, the Mayor of the French city and former Prime Minister of France.
During their discussions, President Lam congratulated the leadership and people of Le Havre for their achievements in transforming the city into a key hub for global maritime trade. He also highlighted Le Havre’s significance in Vietnamese history, as it played a role in the revolutionary journey of late President Hồ Chí Minh. Lam noted that the city stands as a symbol of the longstanding friendship between Vietnam and France, reflecting the deep historical ties between the two nations.
The President praised Mayor Philippe for his positive contributions to strengthening bilateral relations during his tenure as French Prime Minister from 2017 to 2020, and commended the ongoing cooperation between Le Havre and Đà Nẵng, a central city in Vietnam. The collaboration between the two cities has helped expand joint efforts in areas such as people-to-people exchanges, seaport development, maritime transport and logistics, marine environmental protection, and maritime technology.
In response, Mayor Philippe expressed his deep admiration for the Vietnamese people and President Hồ Chí Minh, recalling fond memories from his visits to Vietnam, most recently in 2023. He spoke of Vietnam’s rapid development and dynamism, and reaffirmed his commitment to fostering stronger ties between Le Havre and Vietnamese cities, particularly in training high-quality human resources and encouraging French businesses to invest in Vietnam.
As the President of the International Association of Cities and Ports (IACP), Philippe pledged to support efforts to integrate Vietnamese ports into the global port network, enhancing Vietnam’s role in international maritime trade.
Both leaders emphasized the critical importance of peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea (South China Sea), a vital waterway for global goods transportation. They underscored the need to maintain security in the region in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
This meeting reflects the continued commitment of Vietnam and France to deepening their cooperation, especially in maritime-related sectors, while also strengthening historical and cultural connections.
