PARIS – Minister of Information and Communication Trương Minh Tuấn has expressed hope that French businesses, with their advantages in capital and information and experience in international business, will continue investing in Việt Nam.

At a meeting with French Minister of State for Economy, Industry and Digital Technology Bertrand Pailhes during his visit to France from November 26 to 29, Minister Tuấn said that since the two countries set up their strategic partnership in 2013, bilateral co-operation had thrived in all fields, including information and communication technology (ICT).

France is the largest European provider of official development assistance to Việt Nam for developing telecommunications infrastructure, contributing to the growth of the ICT sector and economic development.

The two sides expressed delight at how state management agencies of both sides had strengthened the exchange of information on new service development, information safety, security management of radio and television, telecommunication business restructuring and ensured a healthy competitive environment.

France has assisted Việt Nam in organising conferences to share experiences and seek investment opportunities in the field, they noted.

The French side has also transferred technology and supported human resource development in Việt Nam and the French government has granted a number of scholarships to Vietnamese students in satellite studies. 

Minister Tuấn also attended a meeting of Vietnamese and French ICT firms, which featured more than 20 French enterprises. 

Frederic Rossi, deputy general director for export of Business France, lauded Việt Nam’s dynamism in ICT. He noted that the sector has enjoyed annual growth of 20 per cent since 2000, accounting for 7.5 per cent of the country’s GDP in 2015. 

He highlighted the high potential of the Vietnamese ICT market, expressing delight that French Tech, which groups some 120 French and Vietnamese ICT firms, was established in Việt Nam in October this year. 

Vietnamese businesses, including Viettel and FPT, have also entered the French market, he said.

Minister Tuấn said Việt Nam’s ICT sector is growing strongly with deep international integration, creating opportunities for foreign investors in the field. He said he believed that through the meeting, ICT firms of both sides would set up partnerships.

The same day, the minister held talks with French Minister of State for State Reform and Simplification Jean-Vincent Place, during which he said the Vietnamese government considers ICT a spearhead sector and important for the country’s growth.

Việt Nam has implemented several programmes and plans for the sector’s development, focusing on spreading ICT to develop e-government and e-business, as well as on the building of smart cities and smart transportation, he said. 

Jean-Vincent Place pledged to support French firms who wish to invest in Việt Nam’s ICT and digital technology. 

Following the talks, Tuấn and Jean-Vincent Place signed a letter of intent on Việt Nam-France co-operation in e-administration, which serves as the legal foundation for French ICT firms to enter the Vietnamese market. 

During their stay, the Ministry of Information and Communications delegation also met with heads of France Medias Monde, the owner of several radio and television channels, including the France 24 TV channel. 

France 24 channel director Marc Saikali thanked the ministry for licensing the English version of France 24 to be aired in Việt Nam, expressing hope that the French version will be allowed in the country soon. — VNS