French president visits archaeological site beneath Vietnam’s NA building

The French president is visiting Vietnam.

The two leaders were introduced to relics discovered during the construction of the current National Assembly building–traces believed to be part of the ancient Thang Long Imperial Citadel, highlighting Vietnam’s rich historical legacy.

As a token of friendship, Chairman Man presented President Macron with a bilingual English - Vietnamese book entitled ‘Ho Chi Minh in Fine Arts.’

The book features 135 works by 100 artists covering paintings, graphics and sculpture. These works show important moments in the life, activities and career of President Ho Chi Minh.

During their formal talks, the two leaders reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral ties.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, top legislator Man praised the notable progress in economic, trade, and investment ties between the two countries.

However, he noted that significant potential remains untapped.

He suggested expanding partnership in such fields as green economy, digital transformation, high technology, artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure, urban development, agriculture, and trilateral cooperation.

President Macron expressed his hope that his visit would open new avenues for strategic cooperation, particularly in strategic infrastructure, renewable energy, transportation, and logistics.

He acknowledged the vital role of Vietnam’s National Assembly and encouraged stronger parliamentary ties to facilitate the ratification of bilateral agreements.

The French leader pledged to expedite procedures for the ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

He also highly valued Vietnam’s efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and promised to discuss the removal of the EU’s ‘yellow card’ warning with the European Commission.

Both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges, especially between their legislative bodies, and to bolster coordination in multilateral forums such as the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum and the Francophone parliamentary framework.

Chairman Man extended greetings and invitations to visit Vietnam to the Presidents of the French Senate and National Assembly.

In response, President Macron invited NA Chairman Man to attend the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF), slated for July 2025 in France.