Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc works with French business delegation

(Chinhphu.vn) - On May 27, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc worked with a French business delegation led by Mr. Francois Corbin, Vice President of the French Employers' Confederation (MEDEF), and more than 40 French businesses who are visiting and working in Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc worked with a French business delegation led by Mr. Francois Corbin, Vice President of the French Employers' Confederation (MEDEF), and more than 40 French businesses who are visiting and working in Vietnam. Photo: VGP

Welcoming the Vice President of the French Employers' Union and the French business delegation to visit and work in Vietnam within the framework of the State visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc expressed his joy at the positive development of Vietnam - France relations in many fields in recent times.

Notably, France is the first country in the EU to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework with Vietnam on the occasion of General Secretary To Lam 's official visit to France in October 2024.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the presence of the French business delegation today is a clear demonstration of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, with economic - investment - trade cooperation being one of the most important pillars.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc highly appreciated the role of MEDEF in organizing investment and trade promotion activities in recent times, contributing to strengthening the Vietnam-France economic cooperation relationship. Photo: VGP

The Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated the role of MEDEF in organizing investment and trade promotion activities in recent times, contributing to strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.

France is currently the 4th largest EU country in terms of trade with Vietnam. In 2024, Vietnam-France trade turnover will reach more than 5.4 billion USD. France also ranks 2nd in terms of investment with a total registered investment capital of 3.96 billion USD as of the end of April 2025; it is the leading European country in terms of ODA capital committed to Vietnam.

In particular, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the Nhon - Hanoi Railway Station Urban Railway Project - a "lighthouse" project in economic cooperation between Vietnam and France, will come into operation in August 2024, contributing positively to the urbanization process and helping to improve the quality and living environment of the people.

However, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, the two countries still have much room to develop economic cooperation and need to make the most of the benefits of the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) as well as the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister asked the Union and French businesses to have a voice to urge the French National Assembly to soon ratify the EVIPA Agreement, creating a favorable legal framework for European and French businesses to strengthen business cooperation and investment in Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc affirmed: The Vietnamese Government is committed to always creating all conditions for businesses of other countries, including French businesses, to accelerate, break through, develop more strongly, and achieve more success in the Vietnamese market. Photo: VGP

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc affirmed that in the context of the world economy and politics having many fluctuations, posing great challenges, Vietnam is always steadfast in the path of building and developing an independent, self-reliant, and self-reliant economy associated with proactive, deep, substantive, and effective international integration.

He said that Vietnam continues to achieve positive socio-economic development achievements, with GDP growth estimated at 6.93% in the first quarter of 2025; many localities have double-digit growth rates. In the first 4 months of 2025, Vietnam's total import-export turnover reached over 276 billion USD, up 15.7% over the same period. FDI registered capital in the first 4 months of the year reached 13.8 billion USD, up 40% over the same period last year...

Regarding development orientation, the Deputy Prime Minister shared that the Politburo and the Communist Party of Vietnam have issued Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology development, Resolution 68-NQ/TW on private economic development, and Resolution 66-NQ/TW on perfecting legal policies. These are extremely important decisions to promote economic and social development in the coming time.

Informing that Vietnam strives to complete 3,000 km of expressways, start construction of several railways and a series of other key infrastructure systems by 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that in parallel with infrastructure development, Vietnam always focuses on developing synchronous infrastructure, ensuring conditions to meet the needs of investors and businesses; strengthening public-private partnership activities, listening to and promptly handling recommendations from businesses.

Vietnam does not discriminate between economic sectors. State-owned enterprises, private enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises are all equal before the law and operate transparently, effectively and in accordance with the law.

Appreciating France's strengths in the fields of high technology, sustainable development, renewable energy, infrastructure, transportation and agriculture... Accordingly, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that MEDEF strengthen investment connection and business cooperation activities in the above-mentioned fields; hoped that France would increase support for the construction and research of projects in the industrial fields such as supporting industries, processing and manufacturing industries, means of transport...

With its strengths in the distribution and retail sectors, and many of the world's leading large distribution enterprises, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that France promote cooperation with Vietnamese enterprises, bringing Vietnamese goods into major global distribution channels.

In the field of renewable energy, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the Union continue to increase credit support, technical cooperation to improve human resources, promote the energy transition and innovation in Vietnam; share experiences and technologies in the field of hydrogen production, support Vietnam in applying technology and techniques to capture/use carbon associated with the process of producing hydrogen energy from other energy sources (such as coal, oil and gas, etc.). Continue to support and participate in infrastructure development and urban transport projects in Vietnam, including plans to modernize the national railway network.

The Deputy Prime Minister believes that, with its prestige and network, MEDEF will continue to support and effectively connect business investment between the business communities of the two countries in the coming time; emphasizing that the Vietnamese Government is committed to always creating all conditions for businesses of other countries, including French businesses, to accelerate, break through, develop more strongly, and achieve more success in the Vietnamese market.

Mr. Vice President of MEDEF: French enterprises are ready to cooperate and share knowledge and experience with Vietnamese friends.

Mr. Francois Corbin thanked Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc for his warm welcome and expressed his impression of the growth Vietnam has achieved in recent years.

According to the Vice President of MEDEF, this is the result of continuous efforts to innovate the economy, with a highly competitive industrial foundation; quality human resources; improving people's lives...

In particular, Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world that has maintained growth during the period when the world had to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. And after COVID-19, Vietnam continues to welcome strong foreign investment, creating a foundation for continued development in the future.

The Vice President of MEDEF believes that with the long-standing cooperative relationship, based on mutual trust, Vietnamese and French enterprises with complementary capabilities will effectively exploit opportunities and development space to jointly move towards prosperity and progress in the future.

At the meeting, representatives of French corporations and enterprises and leaders of Vietnamese ministries and sectors shared and discussed the following contents: Development of high-speed railways; roads, railways, airports, seaports, logistics; architecture, museum design, planning, smart urban development; liquefied gas thermal power; development of new energy, renewable energy, green energy, wind power, nuclear power, green hydrogen; defense industry, aerospace, satellites; healthcare; training and development of human resources, transfer of science and technology; financial services, banking, insurance; cooperation in developing high-tech agriculture and aquaculture without carbon emissions; cyber security; response to climate change, prevention of environmental pollution, etc.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc and French businesses.

Representatives of French enterprises and the Vice President of MEDEF affirmed that the business communities of the two countries have a "golden opportunity" to cooperate and develop together; French enterprises are fully capable of meeting the needs of Vietnam and are ready to cooperate for sustainable development.

In particular, the Vice President of MEDEF emphasized that French enterprises have characteristics that other countries do not have, which are training human resources and transferring science and technology to partners. French enterprises are willing to share knowledge and experience with Vietnamese friends.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc thanked Mr. Francois Corbin, Vice President of MEDEF, and the French business delegation for sharing about the fields that Vietnam really needs in the current period: such as high-speed railway, road, finance, planning, architecture, energy, high-tech agriculture, etc.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc hopes that the French business community will promote cooperation with Vietnam, associated with technology transfer, for sustainable development, bringing prosperity to the two countries and practical benefits to businesses and people of the two countries./.

Tran Manh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/pho-thu-tuong-ho-duc-phoc-lam-viec-voi-doan-doanh-nghiep-phap-102250527112917691.htm