The event was organized by the Department of Trade Promotion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in coordination with the Trade Office of the Embassy of Vietnam in France, the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the City's Center for Trade and Investment Promotion. Ho Chi Minh The organization attracted the participation of more than 30 Vietnamese enterprises and many French partners. 

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Tran Phu Lu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Promotion Center (ITPC), said that over the past half century, the relationship between Vietnam and France has always been warm and trusting, and has increasingly developed in all areas such as: diplomatic, economy, trade, culture... Recently, in early October 10, during an official visit to the French Republic, General Secretary, President To Lam and French President Emmanuel Macron, announced the upgrading of the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, making France the first country in the European Union (EU) to have this special relationship with Vietnam. This is an important milestone for the two countries to review the achievements of cooperation that the two sides have achieved, and at the same time build a roadmap for stronger cooperation and connection in the future.

Mr. Tran Phu Lu said that with the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the upgrade to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the French market promises a lot of potential and room for Vietnamese businesses to operate. As the trade and investment promotion agency of Ho Chi Minh City, ITPC always proactively coordinates with the Trade Promotion Agency, the European and American Market Department - Ministry of Industry and Trade, organizing for Vietnamese business delegations to connect with French businesses, creating opportunities for businesses to meet and introduce their products and services.

He hopes that through this trade connection conference, many French enterprises will learn about quality Vietnamese products, thereby promoting two-way trade relations. In addition, open exchanges and better understanding of each other's needs and capabilities will help partners move towards establishing long-term and sustainable cooperative relationships. He affirmed: "I believe that, with a dynamic market full of potential and much room for development like France, in the coming time, many Vietnamese and French enterprises will find many cooperation opportunities, contributing to fostering the 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' between Vietnam and France to increasingly go into depth, substance and effectiveness".

To help businesses gain a deeper understanding of the French market, representatives of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Paris) introduced the market situation, needs and requirements of businesses in this country. Mr. Bernard Quinet, Head of the Business Connection Support Department of CCI Paris, guided Vietnamese businesses to penetrate the local market and trade with French partners, providing them with specific figures and data, sharing experiences and business culture as well as effective approaches to French partners. According to him, to do business successfully in this market, Vietnamese businesses need to have a long-term strategy or plan.

He said: “France is not a place to just come to once or twice to try it out, but requires a long-term investment plan because French businesses highly value reputation and loyalty in business relationships. Therefore, Vietnamese businesses need to have high determination and a long-term business plan in this market. In addition, Vietnamese businesses' products must also meet the requirements of purchasing partners and adapt to consumer tastes, while also ensuring standards on design, ingredients and product quality to be able to import into the European market.”

After the trade promotion seminar, Vietnamese enterprises directly met and discussed with French partners in many different product lines such as herbal tea, edible mushrooms, construction scaffolding, etc. with the desire to better understand customer needs, participate more deeply in the supply chain of global enterprises and boost exports. Although still worried about their competitiveness compared to other partners such as China, enterprises still believe that their high-quality products will be able to meet market demand and consolidate their position in France, which is considered a gateway to penetrate deeper into the European market.

Witnessing the large participation of Vietnamese enterprises at the SIAL Paris 2024 International Fair, as well as at this trade promotion seminar at CCI Paris, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang highly appreciated the dynamism of central and local trade promotion units. The Ambassador believes that with the current market potential, the dynamism and initiative of Vietnamese entrepreneurs, and the favorable conditions brought about by the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Vietnamese enterprises will establish sustainable partnerships in France and Europe.

France is currently Vietnam's fourth largest trading partner in Europe with a total bilateral trade turnover of 2023 billion USD in 4,8, 1,5 times higher than in 2013 - when Vietnam and France upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership. In the first 8 months of 2024, the total two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and France reached more than 2 billion USD, an increase of 3,4% over the same period in 6,9, of which Vietnam's exports reached 2023 billion USD and imports from France reached 2,23 billion USD.

Vietnam's exports to France are rich and diverse, and are products in which Vietnamese enterprises have strengths and enjoy preferential tariff commitments in the EVFTA, such as footwear, textiles, household appliances; agricultural, forestry and fishery products; rattan and bamboo products... Meanwhile, the main imported goods from France to Vietnam are mostly high-value items with high intellectual and technological content, of which pharmaceuticals, machinery, equipment and means of transport always account for a significant proportion and high import turnover. The EVFTA has become a bridge to help promote bilateral trade and investment in an increasingly balanced direction.

In terms of investment activities, France currently ranks third among European countries investing in Vietnam, and 16th out of 114 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, mainly in France's strong fields such as telecommunications, renewable energy, environment, medicine, manufacturing industry, food industry, etc. Agriculture high quality…are fields that are suitable for Vietnam's development orientation and attraction of foreign investment and economic cooperation./.

Source: Vietnam.vn
 

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