A French expert on Southeast Asia has pointed out Vietnam’s young population and high purchasing power as the economic advantages that have kept foreign investors confident in the country during the global meltdown.

Jean Raphael Chaponniere made the point at a debate on Vietnam with the theme, “a dynamic open economy with high growth rates for 20 consecutive years”, in Paris , France , on May 5.

However, he called on Vietnam to upgrade its infrastructure and education and training sectors to put an end to the economy being dominated by sub-contractor’s and assembly plants and aim towards being an economy with a high trade surplus.

The participants also focused their discussion on Vietnam ’s potential, ranging from heath care, the environment, finance-insurance and hi-tech industries.

They reached a consensus that the areas where Vietnam has potential in are interesting many French investors.

The debate was part of a workshop co-sponsored by the France-Vietnam Friendship Association and the France-Vietnam Friendship Club, and drew 150 participants from the French Foreign Ministry, the French Development Agency (AFD) and several French industrial giants as well as experts on France and Vietnam ’s economies.

Also present were Vietnamese Ambassador Le Kinh Tai and former French Senate President Christian Poncelet.

Another hot topic at the workshop was the relationship between Vietnam and France .

The President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group (FVFPG), Michel Voisin, said his group has submitted a proposal to the Foreign Ministry for France to open a consulate in Danang and operate a direct air route from Paris to the central Vietnamese city.

The FVFPG is one of the four biggest groups in the French Parliament./.