The visit, the first by a French PM since Vietnam and France established diplomatic ties, aims to strengthen traditional friendship and cooperation mechanisms between the two countries.

PM Fillon will hold talks with PM Dung, meet with other senior Vietnamese leaders and attend a Vietnam-France business forum.  

*** Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will also visit Vietnam on November 15-17 at the invitation of PM Nguyen Tan Dung.

He will hold talks with Mr Dung and meet with other Vietnamese leaders to boost all-round cooperation, especially in economics, trade, investment and official development assistance (ODA), between Finland and Vietnam.

He will attend a Finland-Vietnam business forum in HCM City.