Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit is reported by the French newspaper L'Humanite. (Photo: Manh Ha – VOV correspondent in France)

The French daily newspaper L'Humanite ran an article entitled “Vietnam wants to assert its intermediary role in the Indo-Pacific”. The message of Prime Minister Chinh’s visit is that Vietnam is ready to fully reopen its economy after the pandemic, the article said, adding that his decision to choose France for his first overseas trip and his meetings with France’s leading economic group manifest Vietnam’s balanced policy politically and economically. According to L'Humanite, Vietnam is likely to be backed by France in to securing its intermediary role between Asia and Europe as geopolitical competition grows more complicated in the Indo-Pacific region.

The French financial newspaper La Tribune said Prime Minister Chinh’s visit will open up greater trade opportunities. Major contracts are expected to be signed in Paris in aerospace, infrastructure, renewable energy, climate change, and high tech. Closer economic cooperation with France will enable Vietnamese products, especially rice, coffee, and shrimps, to further penetrate the European market.