At the 3rd Southeast Asia Business Forum in Paris, France on February 12, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Bui Hoang Phuong called on French corporations and enterprises to further invest in Vietnam in particular and ASEAN in general.

According to Phuong, Vietnam prioritises creating favourable conditions for French and EU investors to achieve sustainable, mutually-beneficial, and effective development, particularly in collaboration in digital infrastructure and technology, especially AI, thus contributing to driving strong growth in the region and the world.

Phuong said the workshop is a practical initiative to connect and strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and France, as well as between ASEAN and the EU - the two key economic regions of the world.

He highlighted Vietnam’s special advantages such as political stability, and leaders' strong determination to boost science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, saying that the country's strategic geographic location as a gateway to ASEAN, combined with its longstanding relationship with France, help to not only foster ties between Vietnam and France, but also strengthen connections between ASEAN countries and the European nation.

The workshop, which was held on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris, brought together leaders of economic development agencies, economic experts, and nearly 200 representatives from businesses in France, and Southeast Asian countries, including FPT Software of Vietnam.

Participants shared analyses on economic opportunities and market trends in Southeast Asia, helping French businesses and their partners from Vietnam and other countries gain a better understanding of business opportunities in the region, thereby establishing strong connections with potential partners.

Laurent Saint-Martin, French Minister for Foreign Trade and Overseas French Affairs, said the forum helps French companies better understand the potential of the Southeast Asian market in general and Vietnam in particular, enabling them to seize business opportunities in the region.

French companies must meet with Vietnamese importers, understand Vietnamese consumers, establish trade connections, and build partnerships in the Southeast Asian nation, he stressed, adding that the strategic partnership between the two countries, which was established in October last year, must be materialised through trade agreements and specific visits.

According to Adam Koulaksezian, director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam, currently more than 300 French companies are operating in Vietnam, mainly in healthcare, cosmetics, food processing, equipment, and aviation.

Chu Thi Thanh Ha, chairperson of FPT Software, said as a company with 20 years of partnership with French firms, including major corporations like Airbus and Canal+, FPT Software has worked with its partners to create products and solutions that showcase the creativity of Vietnamese youth and drive breakthroughs in business for both sides, thus contributing to strengthening the close relations between Vietnam and France.

She affirmed that FPT Software is ready to prepare specific topics related to AI and semiconductors in order to implement concrete cooperation projects with French partners in the upcoming visit of French leaders to Vietnam.

For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang said he hopes that through this forum, French and Vietnamese partners will better understand each other, identify clearer priority areas, and build specific projects to realise the two countries’ vision regarding their comprehensive strategic partnership, especially in emerging fields such as digital technology, AI, information infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable development.

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