While receiving French Prime Minister Francois Fillon in Hanoi on November 12, Mr Manh welcomed the results of talks between PM Nguyen Tan Dung and PM Fillon and said Vietnam and France should take effective measures to increase cooperation in trade, investment, education-training and science-technology.

He appreciated France’s assistance to Vietnam during the Renewal and international integration process and affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to broaden ties with France.

For his part, PM Fillon spoke highly of the effective cooperation between France and Vietnam in economics, trade, culture, education-training, and science-technology in recent times. He said that in its Asia policy, France gives priority to strengthening ties with Vietnam.

He assured Mr Manh that France will effectively implement agreements signed with Vietnam and help the latter develop relations with the European Union and other international organizations.

The same day, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong received the French PM, who praised the marked progress in the decentralisation cooperation model between French and Vietnamese localities, especially in investment, tertiary education, culture and sustainable development. Mr Fillon pushed for an increase in visit exchanges to bring bilateral relationship to new heights.

Chairman Trong expressed Vietnam’s desires to cooperation with France in its strong areas, including infrastructure construction, energy, culture, health care, education-training, the environment and high technology.

They all said Vietnam and France should increase coordination at international forums to protect developing nation’s interests.