An overview of the dialogue. — VNA/VNS Photo

The sixth Viet Nam-France high-level economic dialogue took place in Paris on Monday under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang and French Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.

Both sides expressed their delight at trade ties between the two countries, with two-way trade reaching 6.65 billion euros (US$7.24 billion) in 2018.

They underlined the opportunities created by the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to bolster economic and trade partnerships between Viet Nam and France as well as facilitate market penetration for businesses on both sides.

The two sides discussed a number of joint projects, and showed their readiness to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.

Over the past decade, a number of projects have received French ODA with committed capital of over two billion euros, including the Ha Noi urban metro line No 3 – a symbol of the Viet Nam-France partnership, they noted.

The projects using French ODA are in the fields of transport, energy, environment and food, which are strategic sectors for Viet Nam. France has shown a willingness to share experience in these areas.

In recent years, Viet Nam and France have strengthened their bilateral partnership through high-level visits, including a visit to France by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in March 2018 and a Viet Nam visit by French PM Eduoard Philippe in November the same year.

The annual dialogue aims to promote economic co-operation between the two countries, while creating chances for businesses from both sides to meet and exchange. — VNS