In his address at the event themed “Looking towards effective and sustainable economic partners,” the Deputy PM highlighted France as Vietnam’s most important strategic partner and called on France to help Vietnamese localities tap their advantages and build specific cooperation programmes.

He underlined the need for authorities, organisations and especially businesses to get involved in such cooperation programmes, adding that Vietnam always welcomes and facilitates the operation of French businesses in the country.

Martine Pinville, French Minister of State for Commerce, Small-Scale Industry, Consumer Affairs and Social and Solidarity Economy said both nations boast huge potential for cooperation between localities covering such fields as culture, health care, training, rural and urban development, hygiene, and French language.

She said up to 240 joint projects are underway involving 19 French localities and 17 Vietnamese provinces.

An international fair was also held during the conference in addition to seminars on cooperation in economy, tourism, education, health care, climate change, agriculture, fisheries, urban development and culture.

Participants agreed on a cooperative plan for increased tourism promotion. The next conference on local cooperation between Vietnam and France is set to take place in Toulouse in 2019.