General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and Spouse Pay an Official Visit to France — Strengthening Vietnam–France Friendship
From 7 to 12 September 2026, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and his spouse, Mrs Ngô Phương Ly, made a state visit to Russia and an official visit to the Republic of France, and attended the Space Summit in Paris at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The delegation arrived in Paris on the morning of 10 September (local time), and that same evening, President Emmanuel Macron and his wife hosted a solemn state dinner at the Élysée Palace to welcome General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation. The official welcome ceremony was held at the Hôtel des Invalides, Paris.
During the visit, Vietnam and France issued a Joint Statement affirming that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries continues to develop strongly and substantively, nearly two years after the relationship was upgraded, with new directions for cooperation in renewable energy, green transition, science and technology, education and culture. President Emmanuel Macron also awarded General Secretary and President Tô Lâm the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest distinction of the French State.
Mrs Ngô Phương Ly, together with French First Lady Brigitte Macron, visited the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris — one of the cultural highlights of the visit. The delegation also laid flowers at the statue of President Hồ Chí Minh in Montreau park and met with Embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in France.
Notably, Mrs Ngô Phương Ly is also the guest of honour at the Vietnam–UNESCO Gala within Việt Nam en Scène, an event marking 50 years of Vietnam–UNESCO relations, to be held at the Grand Rex in Paris on 28 October 2026. This state visit, carried out in a spirit of solidarity and trust between the two nations, further underlines the significance of a theatre week where Vietnamese and French artists come together in dialogue — precisely the spirit that Việt Nam en Scène 2026 seeks to convey.