Vietnam wants to further promote its traditional friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation with France , said a senior official of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association (VFFA).

VFFA Vice President Trinh Ngoc Thai said this in his speech delivered to a get-together marking France ’s 220 th National Day and the 10 th anniversary of the Vietnam-France Friendship Bulletin in Hanoi on July 13.

He commended recent positive developments in the Vietnam-France relation in both bilateral and international spheres and at national and local levels as well.

In the meantime, France is Vietnam ’s leading counterpart in terms of development assistance, trade, investment, cultural cooperation and education.

Many big economic French groups have been very interested in Vietnam and consider the country as a strategic development partner in Southeast Asia , investing in more than 200 projects totalling over 2.4 billion USD.

Around 5,000 Vietnamese students are studying in France and French language classes are being held in Vietnam as well, the VFFA official said.

First published in 2000, the Vietnam-France Friendship Bulletin provides readers with diverse information regarding wide-ranging activities between the two countries, contributing to boosting bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The Cultural Charge d’affaires of the French Embassy, Emmanuelle Bouletreau, praised the publication, describing it as a significant source of information within the French-speaking community.

She expressed her hope that warm relations and cooperation between the two countries will continue to grow in future./.