(VOVworld)- On Monday, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-France Friendship Association of HCM City held a ceremony to mark the 227th French National Day (July 14).

Speaking at the event, deputy chairwoman of the association Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung highlighted the growing friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and France in recent years, with the two countries having elevated relations to a strategic level under the motto “traditional friendship, comprehensive, long-lasting and reliable cooperation in the 21st century”. She noted that HCM City has set up fruitful cooperation  with France’s Rhone Alpes region and the city of Lyon. Emmanuelle Ly Batallan, French Consul General in HCM City, said that the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Union, which will come into effect in 2018, will open up more economic opportunities for both countries.