Vietnam Morning Monitor: France seeks to expand helicopter, frigate building cooperation, US looks to boost chicken exports to Vietnam

| SOCIETY

-- As Vietnam moves to replace and upgrade its helicopter fleet, France desires to supply next-generation models for both civilian and military purposes, while looking to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in satellite technology and naval shipbuilding, French Ambassador to Vietnam Didier Le Bret told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines of a welcome ceremony for the French Navy's frigate Vendémiaire, which docked at Green Port to begin a visit to Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam until November 16.

France is currently working with Vietnam on a new Earth-observation satellite project aimed at enhancing the country's capacity to monitor and forecast security threats and natural disasters from space.

The ambassador described satellite technology as a promising area in which France hopes to deepen cooperation in the coming years.

He also said France was holding discussions with Vietnam and stood ready to support the country's development of its defense industry, including its capacity to build frigates domestically.

-- Vietnam recorded some 152,100 cancer-related deaths between 2021 and 2025, with the annual death toll rising from more than 19,000 in 2021 to 46,800 in 2025, representing an increase of over 2.4 times over the five-year period, according to a recent report released by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund.

The four most common causes of cancer-related deaths in Vietnam during the period were lung, liver, stomach and colorectal cancers.

These four cancer types accounted for 50.6 percent of all cancer-related deaths recorded in the country between 2021 and 2025.

-- Police in Quang Tri Province, north-central Vietnam have charged and detained a tractor-trailer driver for a probe into the transportation of 27,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes.

At 11:26 pm on November 5, officers attempted to stop a tractor-trailer driven by Dang Xuan Trieu, 27, for inspection on Dien Bien Phu Street in Nam Dong Ha Ward after noticing suspicious signs.

However, Trieu allegedly refused to comply and accelerated southbound towards National Highway 1 in an attempt to escape.

Police launched a pursuit lasting more than 20 minutes before managing to stop the vehicle at a location some 20 kilometers from where officers had initially signalled it to pull over.

A subsequent inspection uncovered 27,000 packs of JET-brand cigarettes aboard the truck, with an estimated value of more than VND500 million (US$19,430). The driver failed to show invoices or other documents proving the legal origin of the cigarettes.

-- Since the beginning of 2026, police in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam have detected 85 cases involving 87 individuals for violations of regulations on wildlife protection and aquatic resource conservation. Of these, 17 cases involving 19 individuals have been prosecuted.

The violations primarily involved the trading, hunting, transportation and captive keeping of common wild animals, as well as the transportation of endangered and rare wildlife.

Other offenses included the use of destructive fishing methods that seriously threaten biodiversity and ecological systems.

| ECONOMY

-- A U.S. agricultural trade delegation comprising representatives from 43 companies and 37 industry organizations is visiting Vietnam to seek import partners for American chicken and expand distribution networks.

Beyond trade promotion activities, U.S. suppliers are also looking to bring their chicken products closer to Vietnamese consumers by introducing cooking methods and dishes tailored to local tastes.

According to the Vietnam Poultry Association, Vietnam imported some 185,000-195,000 metric tons of various chicken products in the first half of 2026.

The U.S. accounted for the largest share, supplying some 115,000-120,000 metric tons, or 61.8 percent of total chicken imports, followed by the European Union and Brazil.

| CULTURE

-- Ho Chi Minh City plans to pour more than VND6 trillion ($233 million) into the preservation, restoration and promotion of its cultural heritage during the 2026-30 period, while aiming to add 70 structures and sites to its list of officially recognized historical and cultural relics by 2030, heard a press briefing held by the municipal Department of Culture and Sports on Thursday.

The department also emphasized the expanded application of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, alongside efforts to strengthen workforce training and international cooperation, as part of its heritage preservation and promotion plan.

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