Paris (VNA) – A French expert has suggested somemeasures for strengthening economic links between Vietnam and France during arecent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations (April 12) and 10 years ofstrategic partnership.

Dr Jean-Philippe Eglinger from France’s National Institute for Oriental Languagesand Civilisations (INALCO) said that France was one ofthe first countries to come to Vietnam when the Southeast Asian nation openedits door to foreign investment and trade in the early 1990s. Bilateral tieshave recorded much progress since then, with the strategic partnershipestablished in 2013.

Relations between the two countries have been reinforced withan increase in mutual high-ranking visits. Cooperation has also been expandedto new areas like climate change fight, with the French Development Agency(AFD) playing the main role, he noted.

However,he held that economic ties have yet to be on par with the sound politicalrelationship and the two economies’ potential.

Eglinger cited data from the French Treasury as showing that France’sinvestment in Vietnam stood at about 2-3.8 billion EUR in 2022 (nearly 2.2-4.2 billion USD at the current exchange rate). France ranked 16th among foreign investors in Vietnam and third among European ones, after theNetherlands and the UK.

Last year, the European country recorded a trade deficit of5.7 billion EUR with Vietnam, rising 35% from 2021.

To increase French enterprises’ presence in Vietnam, he recommendedthe two sides enhance partnerships in agriculture to cope with food securityissues, in new information technology to meet the modernisation demand amid theFourth Industrial Revolution, and in health care to meet growing demand inVietnam.

As Vietnam is shifting from public investment to private fundingor public-private partnership, France should align its financial plan withnew orientations. It can also help equip Vietnamese partners with skills in theareas its partners wish to develop to deal with future challenges to theVietnamese economy, Eglinger noted.

The expert perceived that education-training is also afield in which France’s capacity has been recognised and highly valued inVietnam, noting France is implementing many talent training programmes and newprojects here which are based on the establishment of joint incubators todevelop startups in potential areas.

He also underlined the necessity to provide initial trainingfor French entrepreneurs who will come to Vietnam, explaining that they needstrong knowledge about the Vietnamese language and culture to stay confidentand active in the country./.