They highlighted Can Tho’s potential of agricultural production such as rice, fisheries and fruit, along with hi-tech agricultural projects that need investment. They expressed their hope that French businesses will come to seek investment opportunities here.

Chairman of the Can Tho municipal People’s Committee Vo Thanh Thong said agriculture is a strength of his city as well as other Mekong Delta localities. Many products made in Can Tho have been imported by France and other European countries like agricultural and aquatic products, apparel and handicrafts.

French firms should come to the city to invest in those areas in order to increase trade between Vietnam and France, he noted.

There are six French-invested projects worth nearly US$6 million in Can Tho. Meanwhile, bilateral trade has been on an upward trend. The city earned about US$31 million from exports, mostly aquatic products, garments and handicrafts, to France in 2016. Its imports from the EU nation include pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and agricultural medicine, Thong added.

                                        
Can Tho has also carried out numerous cooperation activities in culture, education and health care with France. It expects bilateral relations will be intensified in the future, the official said.

Martine Fumey, vice chairwoman of the World’s No 1 Club, said the club gathers exporting companies in various industries of France, and they want to bolster partnership with Vietnamese businesses. 

Their visit to Can Tho this time aims to enhance connections with local firms and seek investment opportunities, thereby gradually turning French enterprises into a key trade partner of the city, said Fumey – chairwoman of the Ares company, which specialises in security device production.

Jacques Aurin, secretary general of the club and president of the Baron de Madaillan AE company, said they are also interested in educational cooperation with Can Tho-based universities since education is a basis for economic development.

After the working session, the French delegation visited some rice, fishery and fruit processing companies in Can Tho.

Source: vov.vn