On September 25, 2026, in Paris, an important bilateral meeting took place between Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung and France's Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot. The talks were held as part of a working visit by the Vietnamese delegation to the French Republic and served as a logical continuation of high-level agreements reached in September of this year.
Context of Strategic Partnership
The meeting in Paris followed the official visit of General Secretary and President of Vietnam To Lam to France on September 10-11, 2026. The main objective of this phase of diplomatic and economic engagement is the practical implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations. The joint statement issued during the visit emphasized French support for Vietnam in developing strategic infrastructure.
Participation of Leading Industrial Corporations
Representatives of major French infrastructure and technology holdings, such as Alstom, SNCF, Systra, and Colas, joined the ministerial-level dialogue. This format allowed for simultaneous discussion of both government-level regulatory aspects and specific business initiatives aimed at technological exchange.
North-South High-Speed Railway Project
A key topic of the negotiations was Vietnam's large-scale North-South high-speed railway project. The Vietnamese side briefed French partners on current preparations, focusing on technological solutions, cost management, human resource development, and technology transfer to avoid reliance on a single supplier.
Expertise Request and Prospects
Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung asked the French Ministry of Transport to share expertise in public railway governance, regulatory separation of functions, quality control, and safety supervision. French companies were encouraged to expand cooperation in technical maintenance and training.
