A seminar on boosting economic cooperation between French enterprises and Vietnam was held in Lorient city of the Bretagne region on June 30 by the Chamber of Commerce of Industry (CCI) of Morbihan province with the participation of representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy and Ministry of Trade and Investment Planning in France as well as local businesses.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Morbihan CCI Philippe Rouault expressed his delight at the working trip to the province by Vietnamese Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, especially when the two countries are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

Rouault also introduced economic cooperation potential of Morbihan province, especially in the field of marine economy and management, and marine environment protection.

He said that many businesses in the province in particular and the region in general are eyeing to develop operations in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, adding that the seminar was an opportunity for the two sides to better understand the situation and potential of cooperation between the two sides.

For his part, Thang briefed participants on the situation of the Vietnamese economy, one of the most dynamic economies in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region with many bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements with countries and regions around the world.
         
The ambassador affirmed that France is one of Vietnam’s important economic partners in Europe in term of trade and investment, and hoped that Morbihan's businesses will promote economic cooperation and investment projects in Vietnam in the coming time.

At the seminar, French businesses introduced projects that are cooperating with Vietnamese partners as well as orientations and wishes to cooperate with Vietnam in the near future in a number of fields such as seabed and coastal survey, sea water treatment to produce fresh water for offshore fishing boats or islands lacking fresh water, among others.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the Vietnamese Embassy in France has carried out many activities to further promote economic, trade and investment relations between the two sides.

After the seminar, the delegation of the Vietnamese Embassy visited a number of local businesses that are carrying out cooperation projects with Vietnamese partners./.