Vietnam, France sign 18 cooperation deals
The projects inked at the Vietnam-France entrepreneur forum in Hanoi covered the fields of energy, post and telecommunications, aerospace industry, banking and finance. The deals included three memoranda of understanding (MoU) signed between PetroVietnam and a French electricity group, BNP Paribas and Calyon banks with the total value of over USD5 billion.
BNP Paribas also signed another MoU to raise its stake in the Orient Commercial Bank from 15% to 20% next year given approval of the Government and the State Bank of Vietnam.
The two sides also agreed to increase the role and voice of enterprises in the government-level Vietnam-France Business Council, which was established two years ago but had yet to meet desires for cooperation of enterprises between the two nations. Vietnam and France will prioritize education and sustainable growth sectors in the coming time, PM Fillion was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as saying.
France is the largest bilateral EU donor for Vietnam that pledged to fund over USD280 million for the country last year. Vietnam’s export earnings to France were USD786 million in 2008 and USD108 million in the first eight months of this year.
Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who arrived in Hanoi last Thursday, wrapped up his Vietnam visit over the weekend after touring HCMC and Hue City.
