Vietnam will host the France Year in 2013 and France will organise the Vietnam Year in 2014 to mark the 40 th anniversary of their diplomatic ties (1973-2013).

The information was announced by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi on December 14 at a ceremony to make public the logo of the Vietnam-France Year 2013-1014 and a joint committee in charge of organising work.

Son affirmed that the traditional friendly Vietnam-France relations were built on a solid foundation that is the long-lasting friendship between the two nations.

He informed that a plenty of activities will be held to fete the event, which is expected to lift the Vietnam-France relationship to a strategic partnership level soon as well as create breakthroughs in such areas as politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, security, defense, and local ties.

The Vietnam-France Year will see political and economic events along with cultural, scientific and educational activities taking place across Vietnam and France .

The upcoming important one will be the Vietnam-France Economics Forum, which will be held in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in April, 2013.-VNA