Exports to France brought Vietnam over 144.74 million EUR (over 202 million USD) in January, representing a year-on-year increase of 34.3 percent.

Apparels earned over 25 million EUR while electronic appliances brought home 24.51 million EUR, representing a two-fold increase over the figure gained in December, 2010 or 15 times over the same period last year.

Wooden furniture recorded an export turnover of 12.62 million EUR, an increase of 2.73 percent year on year.

Commercial Counsellor of the Vietnamese embassy in France Pham Xuan Yen attributed the hike to the French economic rally, which he said is expected to bring in a further growth for the Vietnamese export sector in the first quarter of 2011.

In regards to Vietnam’s imports from France , which dropped by half on the monthly basis to 36.27 million EUR in January, the French Customs Office expected a rise in sales of French automobiles in Vietnam such as OSA Peugeot-Citroen soon.

Most of France’s leading auto makers have opened business in Vietnam with famous Peugeot trademark alone opening two sales agents.

In addition, Vietnam has planned to speed up the disbursement of trade or investment commitments or projects such as reconstruction of French-built Long Bien bridge, construction of the medical university and contracts on Vietnam’s purchase of A380 planes.

The nation is also taking measures to boost French investment in the areas of its strength such as medicine, food technology and cosmos aviation./.