Embassy Organizes Vietnam Day in French Port City of Marseille

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang and embassy's officials have laid flowers at a memorial plate dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh. Source: Vietnamese embassy in France

The Embassy recently organized a two-day series of Vietnam Day activities in Marseille to promote culture, promote investment - trade and promote multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the port city of Marseille and neighboring localities, VNA reported Wednesday.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang and embassy's officials have laid flowers at a memorial plate dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh which is attached to the front wall of the headquarters of La Marseillaise newspaper, and visited an exhibition by Vietnamese painter Tia-Thuy Nguyen at Château La Coste.

The ambassador had a meeting with the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese students in the French port city of Marseille, as part of his trip to Aix Marseille Provence metropolis from October 9-11.

At meeting with the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese students. Source: Vietnamese embassy in France

The Ambassador briefed the attendants on Vietnam - France relations, especially the development of bilateral ties after Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to France at the end of 2021 as well as the results of cooperation between localities of the two countries, including Marseille.

He affirmed that the embassy and its offices always support the Vietnamese community in their activities.

About 100 representatives from French and Vietnamese enterprises gathered at the first France-Vietnam economic forum in the French port city of Marseille on October 10. Source: Vietnamese embassy in France

Within the framework of Vietnam Day in Marseille, for the first time, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aix Marseille Provence (CCI Aix Marseille Provence), Vietnam’s Honorary Consul in Marseille, and Bouches-du-Rhone Province jointly organized the first France-Vietnam economic forum in Marseille, attracting the participation of about 100 French and Vietnamese business representatives.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang said Vietnamese agencies met with Aix Marseille Provence’s leading firms to step up projects in the fields of infrastructure, logistics, seaports, food processing, clean energy, aerospace, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Enterprises in Aix Marseille Provence also expect to connect new investment projects with Vietnamese partners, he said.

Minister for Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht speaks in a video clip. Source: Vietnamese embassy in France

In a video speech sent to the event, Minister for Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht called on the two countries’ businesses to enhance trade and investment in the near future on the back of advantages brought about by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, promote joint actions in promising areas such as renewable energy, infrastructure, and continue pursing major projects in Vietnam such as Hanoi's metro line.

He committed that French trade promotion and import-export agencies will support enterprises in new projects between the two countries.

Following the plenary session, businesses and representatives of consulting and trade promotion agencies met to share experience in the process of carrying out projects in Vietnam.

CCI Aix Marseille Provence plans to hold the second stage of the forum in December 2022 with fact-finding trips to Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City and attend the Vietnam-France economic forum to exchange with Vietnamese partners.

Vietnamse ambassador to France visits an exhibition by Vietnamese painter Tia-Thuy Nguyen at Château La Coste. Photo: VNA

An economic seminar entitled “Capturing business opportunities in Vietnam: Energy transition and digital transformation” also was held in Paris recently, attracting more than 80 enterprises and investors from France and Vietnam.

Participants expressed an interest in Vietnam’s priority investment fields, preferential tax rates at industrial parks, investment incentives, and renewable energy development policies, among others.

In return, Vietnamese businesses pin high hopes on cooperative opportunities between the two countries.

Following the seminar, Ambassador Thang held a working session with Luc Rémont, Vice President of Schneider Electric, during which the latter affirmed the group’s commitment to expanding its business and investment activities in Vietnam.

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