Vietnam and France will facilitate economic and trade ties on the basisof open dialogue and trust, with the potential for mutual benefitdescribed as huge by government ministers.

Consensus wasreached at talks between Minister of Planning and Investment Bui QuangVinh and French Minister of Foreign Affairs and InternationalDevelopment Laurent Fabius in Paris on April 7, as part of the former’svisit to the capital to attend the second Vietnam – France high-leveleconomic dialogue.

Both ministers mentioned fields of Frenchstrength, such as transport infrastructure, urban development, nuclearenergy, aviation technology, health care and farm produce which Vietnamis in need for national development.

At a meeting with over100 top French firms the same day, Minister Vinh called on them tolaunch long-term operations in Vietnam. He hailed the host’s progress inscience-technology and corporate governance, which he said are areasrequiring more investment in Vietnam.

Vinh also briefedthem of Vietnam’s economic restructuring and business climate. With theASEAN Economic Community coming by 2015, Vietnam will serve as a keygateway to a market of nearly 600 million people. The country is alsoemerging as a robust economy in the Asia-Pacific that accounts for twothirds of world population, he added.

French BusinessConfederation Vice President and General Director of InternationalDevelopment Thierry Courtaigne said Vietnam’s dynamic growth and strongreforms are conducive to French investment.

Counsellor forEconomic Affairs at the French Embassy in Vietnam Michel Drobinak alsospoke highly of two-way cooperation prospect thanks to Vietnam’s stablegrowth and a force of young and skilled workers.

Vinh also answered French investors’ questions, giving them a better understanding of Vietnamese market.-VNA