French parliamentarian backs EU-Vietnam free trade agreement

An apparel factory of the Far Eastern New Apparel Vietnam company in Bac Dong Phu Industrial Park of Binh Phuoc province (Photo: VNA)

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Paris ahead of an official visit to France by Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the MP said the EVFTA plays an important role in promoting economic and commercial exchange, benefiting both the EU and Vietnam.

She noted that France is the 16th biggest foreign investor in Vietnam, but accounts for less than 1 percent of the Vietnamese market.

France wants to develop strongly bilateral relations in all aspects, so as to enhance France’s position in Vietnam both in friendship links and economic and trade exchange, Stephanie Do said, adding that the French Government has expressed the wish in many high-level visits, such as the visit by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in 2018 and the upcoming visit by President Emmanuel Macron.

The MP said the French-Vietnamese relationship has never been stronger than now, not only in friendship links but also in strategic cooperation across various fields like economy, health care and education.

Mentioning the Vietnamese community in French, which numbers around 300,000, Stephanie Do said more and more Vietnamese French want to join the political scene. She said she had coordinated closely with the Vietnamese Embassy in France and many associations to promote the Vietnamese culture in France and help the French discover the rich and interesting culture of Vietnam.

The MP voiced her hope that the two sides will increase cooperative activities through close ties with the Embassy and representative missions of Vietnam in France.

Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan is scheduled to pay an official visit to France from March 30 to April 3 at the invitation of President of the National Assembly of France Richard Ferrand. This is the first official one by a NA leader of Vietnam after 11 years, aiming to accelerate the Vietnam-France strategic partnership.