Vietnam opened a pavilion entitled Economic Space’ and another showcasing Nhan Dan (People’s) newspaper’s products at the L’Humanite Newspaper Festival 2011 in Paris on Sept. 16.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Pierre Lellouche, Secretary of State For Foreign Trade, said France is now Vietnam ’s number-one European investor and the second largest public development aid (APD) provider for the Southeast Asian country.
Around 300 French businesses have been present in Vietnam , and the flow of French direct investment of exceeded 3 billion USD this year, he noted.
This reflects France ’s great interest in Vietnam , he stressed, adding that France wants to become a long-term and prestigious partner of Vietnam.
According to Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hai Nam, France is one of Vietnam ’s most important economic and trade partners in Europe with two-way trade and French investment in Vietnam continuously increasing.
France is Vietnam ’s third largest partner in the EU, after Germany and the UK, he added.
Nhan Dan newspaper Editor-in-Chief Thuan Huu stated that the participation of the Vietnamese delegation at the L’Humanite Newspaper Festival 2011 as the first foreign guest represented the Vietnam-France solidarity, friendship and special cooperation as well as the fraternity between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the French Communist Party.
At the Nhan dan newspaper pavilion, a photo exhibition entitled “President Ho Chi Minh with France” was organised alongside with a special music programme staged by artists from Vietnam.
(Source: VNA)
