PARIS — Việt Nam welcomes enterprises and investors to engage in long-term cooperation and business activities in the country, and commits to being a reliable partner with a stable environment, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Bùi Hoàng Phương said at the third Southeast Asia Business Forum in Paris, France on Wednesday.

In his opening remarks at the event, he called on French firms to further invest in Việt Nam as well as in ASEAN.

According to Phương, Việt Nam prioritises creating favourable conditions for French and EU investors to achieve sustainable, mutually beneficial and effective development, particularly through collaboration in digital infrastructure and technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), to help drive strong growth.

Phương said the workshop is a practical initiative to connect and strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and France, as well as between ASEAN and the EU – two key global economic regions.

He highlighted Việt Nam’s special advantages such as political stability and leaders' strong determination to boost science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, saying that the country's strategic geographic location as a gateway to ASEAN, combined with its longstanding relationship with France, help to not only foster ties between Việt Nam and France, but also strengthen connections between ASEAN countries and the European nation.

The workshop, which was held on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris, brought together leaders of economic development agencies, economic experts and nearly 200 representatives from businesses in France and Southeast Asia, including Việt Nam's FPT Software.

Participants shared analyses on economic opportunities and market trends in Southeast Asia, helping French businesses and their partners from Việt Nam and other countries gain a better understanding of business opportunities in the region, thereby establishing strong connections with potential partners.

Laurent Saint-Martin, French Minister for Foreign Trade and Overseas French Affairs, said the forum helps French companies better understand the potential of the Southeast Asian market and more particularly the Vietnamese market, enabling them to seize business opportunities in the region.

French companies must meet with Vietnamese importers, understand Vietnamese consumers, establish trade connections and build partnerships in the Southeast Asian nation, he stressed, adding that the strategic partnership between the two countries established in October last year must be strengthened through trade agreements and specific visits.

According to Adam Koulaksezian, director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Việt Nam, currently more than 300 French companies are operating in the country, mainly in healthcare, cosmetics, food processing, equipment and aviation.

Chu Thị Thanh Hà, chairperson of FPT Software, said as a company with 20 years of partnership with French firms, including major corporations like Airbus and Canal+, FPT Software has worked with its partners to create products and solutions that showcase the creativity of Vietnamese youth and drive breakthroughs in business for both sides, helping to boost the close relations between Việt Nam and France.

She confirmed that FPT Software is readying itself to implement concrete cooperation projects with French partners in AI and semiconductors ahead of a visit by French leaders to Việt Nam.

For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Đinh Toàn Thắng said he hopes that through this forum, French and Vietnamese partners will better understand each other, identify clearer priority areas and build specific projects to realise the two countries’ vision regarding their comprehensive strategic partnership, especially in emerging fields such as digital technology, AI, information infrastructure, renewable energy and sustainable development. — VNS