Paris (VNA) - Vietnam is boosting comprehensive cooperation with France's Normandy region, a dynamic economic hub. This follows the upgrade of Vietnam-France relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening broad opportunities for collaboration in economy, science, culture, and sports.

During a July 15-16 visit to Normandy, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang highlighted the region's importance in Vietnam's economic diplomacy. Meetings with the Normandy Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Normandie) and local businesses confirmed the new era of collaboration.

Ambassador Thang underscored France as the first European nation to achieve this comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, citing recent high-level visits as catalysts.

He detailed Vietnam's vision for cooperation, noting France's position among Vietnam's top trade and investment partners in Europe, with numerous new agreements, student exchanges, and French involvement in key Vietnamese infrastructure projects like Hanoi's firsts metro line.

Delphine Wahl, General Director of CCI Normandie, showcased the region's strengths, including its robust industrial and export capacity, key port system, strong automotive, aerospace, and agricultural sectors.

Discussions explored cooperation in dairy production, with Normandy offering expertise in processing and cooperative models.

Ambassador Thang proposed a "Normandy Day in Vietnam" to promote regional specialties. Healthcare cooperation, particularly in cancer research, was also explored.

Vincent Laudat, President of CCI Normandie, highlighted Normandy's significant role in France's nuclear industry, positioning it as a potential partner for Vietnam's nascent nuclear power programme.

The visit also included a stop at the Caen-Ouistreham port, a vital gateway for European market access.

A highlight was a meeting with Marc Lecerf, Mayor of Fleury-sur-Orne, to discuss an ambitious sports cooperation programme. This initiative will see Vietnamese athletes train in Normandy, focusing on scientific methods to enhance performance in sports like cycling, athletics, swimming, and martial arts, with the first group expected in late 2025.

Ambassador Thang concluded that the visit was highly successful, opening vast cooperation opportunities between Vietnam and Normandy.

This diverse cooperation, spanning from sports to nuclear energy and high-tech, reꦯflects the immense potential of the Vietnam-France comprehensive strategic partnership. Normandy's sꦓtrengths align well with Vietnam's goal of becoming a modern industrial nation by 2045, solidifying its role as a strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region./.