French Ambassador to Vietnam, Herve Bolot, said the reason to choose Vietnam to organize the event is that Vietnam has an annual growth rate of 8 percent and is an attractive destination for French investors. The recent visit to France by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has further promoted cooperative and dynamic relations between the two countries.

Addressing the forum entitled “ASEAN: a market to conquer",  Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai affirmed that Vietnam’s economy has rapidly developed over the past 20 years of Doi Moi (Renewal) process. In the past five years, the country’s GDP growth rate has reached 7.5 percent per year while imports-exports increased by over 20 percent per year. In October 2007 alone, the country’s total export turnover reached nearly US$87 billion, up 23.3 percent against the same period last year.

Besides, Vietnam is actively taking part in the international economic integration process. Being a member of the Word Trade Organization, a non- permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and a co-ordinator of the negotiation process of the EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, Vietnam wants to promote comprehensive relations with ASEAN member countries and the EU, especially with France.

However, Mr Hai said, although economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and France has gained positive results in recent years, it has not yet matched the potential between the two countries. Therefore, the business community between both countries should actively seek new investment opportunities. The ASEAN forum, especially the presence of Hervé Noveli, French Secretary of State for Businesses and Foreign Trade and representatives from ASEAN member countries will create a fresh impetus to boost potential cooperation between the two countries.