Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc (Photo: MPI)Addressing the 12th Vietnam-France decentralisedcooperation conference, which took place in Hanoi from April 13-16, Ngoc notedthat Vietnam has launched the national strategy on green growth and stepped upeconomic restructuring in tandem with growth model reform, environmental sustainabilityand social equality.
As a result, great potential andopportunities remain for Vietnam and France to boost their cooperation in thetime ahead, she said.
Vietnam also encourages and prioritises quality,focused foreign investments, especially in high-tech, innovation, green energy,renewable energy, finance, banking, health care, high-quality personneltraining, infrastructure, health care and pharmaceuticals.
They are the areas where France has strengths, andthe two economies would be reciprocal, the official added.
Delegates at the conference (Photo: VNA)Regarding the Vietnam-France relationship, Ngoc calledtrade, economic and investment ties as pillars of their strategic partnershipand traditional friendship.
France ranks 16 out of the 143 countries and territoriesinvesting in Vietnam with more than 3.8 billion USD. Their two-way tradereached 5.33 billion USD last year, of which Vietnam’s export to the Europeannation was valued at 3.7 billion USD.
France is also one of Vietnam’s first and biggestofficial development assistance (ODA) suppliers in Europe, she said, stressingthat Vietnam is an active, responsible member of ASEAN and Asia-Pacific, whileFrance is a key member of the European Union, and both are members of theFrancophone community and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
These are important foundations and premises for thetwo countries to expand cooperation and boost trade and investment ties betweenthe two countries, Ngoc continued.
The official stressed that the 12th Vietnam-Francedecentralised cooperation conference has offered effective solutions to raisethe role of localities in promoting investment links between the twocountries./.
VNA
