Deep Dive: Sports Emerge as New Pillar in Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, formalized in October 2024, represents a deepening of bilateral ties between these two nations with shared histories of colonialism, independence struggles, and post-war reconciliation. From the geopolitical lens, France seeks to bolster its influence in the Indo-Pacific amid rising tensions with China, leveraging Vietnam's strategic position in Southeast Asia and its growing economic clout as a manufacturing hub. Vietnam, balancing relations between major powers like the US, China, and now France, uses this partnership to diversify partnerships, enhance soft power through cultural exchanges, and attract French investment in high-tech sectors beyond traditional areas like defense and aeronautics. As an international correspondent, the emphasis on sports as a new pillar highlights people-to-people diplomacy, with events like the charity rugby match fostering goodwill at the grassroots level. This builds on longstanding cultural affinities—Vietnam's passion for football and martial arts intersecting with France's rugby and Olympic prowess—while addressing humanitarian angles through charity initiatives. Cross-border implications extend to Europe-Asia connectivity, potentially influencing EU-ASEAN dialogues on trade and migration, as stronger Vietnam-France ties could facilitate French firms' access to ASEAN markets, affecting supply chains from semiconductors to luxury goods. Regionally, in Vietnam's dynamic sociopolitical context, where youth engagement and national pride are key to stability, sports cooperation counters urban-rural divides and promotes health amid rapid urbanization. Key actors include Vietnamese leadership prioritizing France for its technological expertise and France's government under Macron aiming to counterbalance Anglo-Saxon dominance in Asia. Stakeholders like athletes, NGOs, and businesses stand to gain, with outlook pointing to joint training academies or Olympic collaborations by 2028, subtly shifting power dynamics in a multipolar world without overt confrontation.