Business France and Việt Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade hold a roundtable on Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thu Hà

PARIS — Việt Nam welcomes businesses and investors and is committed to providing long-term policies for them to operate effectively in the country, said Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên on Monday at a forum on trade and investment between France and Southeast Asia.

The event was organised by the French Senate and Business France which is responsible for fostering export growth by French businesses, facilitating international investment in France.

It attracted more than 200 businesses from France and ASEAN countries, including Việt Nam.

Diên affirmed that the event helps strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and France in particular and between ASEAN and EU in general, to together address world issues and promote their 45-year ties.

He spoke highly of France's leading role in cooperation with ASEAN countries, stressing that Việt Nam has special advantages to contribute to promoting relations between ASEAN countries and France, and affirmed that the Vietnamese Government is striving to build an independent, self-reliant economy and integrate into the world market in a positive, profound, substantive and effective manner.

Within the framework of the forum, Business France and Việt Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade held a roundtable on Việt Nam.

At the roundtable, Minister Diên introduced Việt Nam’s vision and policies for sustainable development to turn it into a hub in regional and world production and supply chains.

The French business community can take Việt Nam as the gateway to ASEAN, and Vietnamese businesses can also take advantage of the EVFTA to make France a centre for distributing goods to the entire EU, the official said.

According to French customs data, in 2022, the trade turnover between Việt Nam and France reached 8.1 billion euros (about US$8.7 billion), accounting for only 0.6 per cent of the total between France and the whole world. This shows that economic relations and trade between the two countries still have much room for development, Diên said.

On the sidelines of the forum, he also met with leaders of major French oil and energy groups including Perenco, Electricite de France (EDF), Air Liquide, Hydrogen de France (HDF).

He spoke highly of the efforts and contributions by the French groups to the energy sector development and affirmed that in the coming time, it’s inevitable for Việt Nam to shift from fossil fuels to clean energy.

Leaders of French corporations showed special interest in the Vietnamese market and affirmed that they would continue to maintain and expand their business and investment in Việt Nam, especially targeting new energy industries such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, and biomass.

During his stay in Paris, Minister Diên and Vietnamese Ambassador to France Đinh Toàn Thắng co-chaired a talk show on mobilising resources of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and businesses to develop Việt Nam’s energy and commerce sectors. — VNS