Christian Poncelet, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarian Group  (Photo: senate.fr)

(VOVWorld) – President Truong Tan Sang on Wednesday in Hanoi received  Christian Poncelet, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarian Group, who is visiting Vietnam. Poncelet said his visit was one of activities to mark the 40^th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. France wants to penetrate the Southeast Asian market via Vietnam and is ready to aid Vietnam to enter the European market.

President Sang said Vietnam always treasures the relationship with France, which he believed will be elevated to a strategic partnership in the near future. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to France later this month will help to further bilateral ties. Sang called on France to increase ODA and direct investment into Vietnam, and to particularly support Vietnam in its negotiations with the EU so as to shape bilateral trade ties on a par with their future strategic partnership. President Sang urged for more cooperation in education and culture so as to better understand each other’s land and people.