A business forum that seeks to pave the way for French businesses to seek investment opportunities in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi was opened in Bourg-la-Reine city on June 22, during a visit to France by a delegation from the Hanoi People’s Committee.

Municipal People’s Committee Chairman, Nguyen The Thao, and Bourg-la-Reine’s Vice Mayor, Bruno Audou, attended the event.

Addressing the forum, officials of Hanoi ’s Department of Planning and Investment highlighted their city’s potential and its advantages.

Hanoi has so far attracted 1,250 foreign-invested projects from 41 countries and territories around the world, with a total implemented capital of 6.2 billion USD.

In 2008, France was ranked ninth among investors to Hanoi , with 45 projects totalling 322.8 million USD. Municipal officials said that those sectors France has invested in over the past years have satisfied its needs, especially in the development of urban transport.

A representative of the Hanoi People’s Committee called on French businesses to invest in environmental clean-up and waste treatment in Vietnam , especially in cleaning the Red River and other rivers in the city.

Vietnamese ambassador to France Le Kinh Tai suggested that Hanoi and Bourg-la-Reine design a framework for closer cooperation, to develop the relationship between the two localities.

For his part, the French Vice Mayor said he was impressed with Vietnam ’s revamped business registration procedures, which only take six days, instead of six months as in the past. He also proposed that the officials, businesses, and charitable organisations of both localities join forces to build a bridge linking their two nations.

With a population of nearly 20,000 people, Bourg-la-Reine is a wealthy commune in the southern suburbs of Paris . For many years, the city has continually provided assistance to the activities of the Vietnamese community in France .

During its stay in France , the Vietnamese delegation worked with leaders throughout the lle-de-France region and signed several cooperation agreements with them. It also met with administrators of the capital city of Paris to discuss cooperation in economic development, the environment, and architectural planning for capital cities./.