Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong has held out hope that overseas Vietnamese in France will unceasingly foster the friendship between France and Vietnam.

Meeting with representatives from the Vietnamese community in Paris on October 11 during her working visit there, Phong said she was delighted that the expatriate have integrated soundly into the host country’s social life while still trying to maintain the homeland’s culture identity.

The Party and State have always given due attention to the Vietnamese communities abroad as a part of a strong national unity bloc, she stated.

The official briefed the expats of main events in the Vietnam-France relations and the homeland’s socio-economic performance over the past nine months along with explaining policies relating to land ownership, investment, business and treatments to expat intellectuals.

Earlier on October 10, Phong visited Val de Marne province of the Ile-de-France region, where she met with Senator Christian Favier, Chairman of the Val de Marne provincial council.

Val de Marne set up a twin relationship with the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai and both are cooperating more closely in tourism and economics, focusing on commercializing the Vietnamese province’s tea product, according to the Senator.

Phong suggested the French province expand its assistance to other northern mountainous provinces in Vietnam the field of education and healthcare, particularly for women and children.-VNA