Emmanuel Ly Batallan, French Consul General in HCM City speaks at the ceremony.
Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Nam - France Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung congratulated France on the National Day, stressing that since the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2013, the relationship between the two countries has developed strongly across various fields, including politics, economy, culture and people-to-people diplomacy.
Bilateral ties between HCM City and France have also developed in a more substantive manner, proven by the investment of French businesses in the city and joint schemes in urban planning, urban lighting and education, between the HCM city and the Lyon and the Rhone-Alpes region, she said.
The Association has served as a bridge connecting the people of HCM City and French localities through coordinating the implementation of development projects and organizing festivals, photo exhibitions and presenting scholarships.
For his part, Emmanuel Ly Batallan was delighted by the rapid development of the Viet Nam - France partnership. He pledged to do his utmost to strengthen the friendship of the two nations and foster bilateral trade cooperation and investment.
Currently, there are 492 French investment projects, with total investment capital of USD 3.4 billion, in HCM City. Trade turnover between the city and France has increased annually, reaching USD 885 million in 2016.
Ho Chi Minh City is also one of the places chosen to implement important investment projects between Viet Nam and France such as educational cooperation projects, urban lighting, community development, clean water supply.
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