Authorities of northern Phu Tho province, the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnam Business Association in France (AB VietFrance) presented cooperation priorities to French investors at a Paris conference on October 29. Vietnamese and French companies attended.
In his opening speech, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong said Phu Tho wants closer ties with French localities, organisations and companies. The province is seeking quality investment, technology transfer, workforce development and green growth.
Dong presented the enlarged province formed after Phu Tho merged with Vinh Phuc and Hoa Binh on July 1, 2025. He said its economy reached nearly 16 billion USD in 2025, ranking sixth nationally. Trade in the first nine months of 2026 stood at nearly 110 billion USD, the third-highest figure in the country. The province has more than 42,000 companies, 755 foreign-invested projects worth 15.5 billion USD and 32 industrial parks.
He named six priority areas. In industry, Phu Tho wants to develop hi-tech, supporting industries, electronic components, precision mechanics, automation, new materials and semiconductors, linking these projects with research and development, technology transfer and domestic suppliers. For infrastructure and green growth, it is seeking industrial park, logistics, modern management, energy efficiency and wastewater reuse projects to build eco-industrial parks.
In health, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, the province expects quality medical services, technology transfer and digital health. In education and research, it encourages links between businesses, universities and research organisations to train specialists, exchange experts and commercialise scientific developments.
The two remaining areas are hi-tech agriculture, food processing and agro-forestry processing, as well as heritage conservation, cultural industries and tourism. Phu Tho wants deep-processing technologies to improve the quality and value of farm products for European standards, and cooperation to turn heritage sites into resources for tourism and the economy.
Vietnamese Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai said the upgrade of Vietnam-France ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2024 has created new opportunities for trade and investment. The task now, he said, is to turn political trust into concrete projects.
Hai said Phu Tho’s location, industrial base and labour supply make it a suitable base for French companies expanding in Vietnam and reaching ASEAN markets. French strengths in advanced industry, clean energy, environmental technology, agriculture, food processing, training and tourism match Phu Tho’s needs, he said. He urged more cooperation between local authorities, associations and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as use of the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
The embassy will connect partners, conduct field surveys and promote specific projects to deepen Vietnam-France ties, he added.
In discussions, French organisations pointed to opportunities in vocational training, tourism, food processing, clean energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The Île-de-France Chamber of Crafts expressed interest in cooperation in vocational training, handicrafts and tourism. French companies presented automation for food processing and flavour production, AI for management and productivity, renewable energy, and microalgae for water treatment and aquaculture feed.
Dong welcomed proposals in food processing, clean energy, training and new technology, especially AI for management, production and smart agriculture, as well as microalgae for aquaculture at Hoa Binh Lake. To attract investment, he proposed cooperation with a French locality, studying an industrial park or zone for French companies with French-language services, and a “green channel” that would cut half of administrative procedures within the law.
At a working session earlier that day, Chairman of MEDEF International and ARTELIA Group Benoît Clocheret suggested stronger cooperation in semiconductors, electronics, supporting industries, renewable energy, logistics, hi-tech agriculture and high-end tourism; joint investment forums; and work on transport, industrial parks, water management, technology transfer and supply chains. Dong pledged a transparent and stable investment environment and supportive conditions for ARTELIA and French companies.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
