French Ambassador to Vietnam Betrand Lortholary 

At a meeting with the press on the occasion of his new office term in Hanoi on October 20, the ambassador said economic collaboration should be elevated to a level on par with the bilateral diplomatic ties and more Vietnamese businesses will invest in France.

Betrand Lortholary said economic cooperation achievements will facilitate the implementation of free trade agreements to which both Vietnam and France are signatories, especially the pact between Vietnam and the EU.

According to the diplomat, a number of French enterprises, via the French Development Agency (FDA), have carried out projects dealing with impacts of climate change in the Southeast Asian nation.

Up to 17 climate change projects worth 525 million EUR (roughly 756 million USD) were rolled out in Vietnam between 2006 and 2015, he said, adding that the FDA plans to implement another project on air monitoring systems in Hanoi.

“Vietnam and France will prioritize their cooperation in peace-keeping operations, education, military medicine, national defence and economy,” he said.

Calling on young Vietnamese people to learn more about France, Betrand Lortholary said about 7,000 Vietnamese students are studying in France, constituting the largest community of Asian students in the country.

Outstanding overseas Vietnamese students will have chances to work as trainees in French firms, he added.

Besides, the French space will be formed in major universities across Vietnam, with a pilot model in Can Tho University, he said, voicing his hope for the establishment of branches of the French Institute in Ho Chi Minh City and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam.-VNA