(VOVworld) – 60 presentations at an ongoing Paris workshop take a look at social issues in Vietnam in the 150 years since the French colonial era began. Since Thursday the workshop entitled “From an Indochinese colony to the current Vietnam” has been highlighting Vietnam’s strong development and prospects for a continued growth thanks to its open-door and active international integration policy.

The workshop takes place in Paris. (Photo: VOV)

Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark, who used to live in Vietnam, said: “This workshop has shown that Vietnam and France will always be friends, though at times in the past, they were enemies. That was just something that normally happens in a relationship. I know that many French and Vietnamese people retain lots of memories of that colonial time. I lived in Vietnam for 8 years. I still remember Vietnam’s culture and the smiles of the Vietnamese. I loved my days in Vietnam. I could speak Vietnamese when I was a child. So to me, this is an interesting workshop.”

In his opening address, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Duong Chi Dung said he hopes the workshop participants will propose initiatives to deepen bilateral ties to live up to the strategic partnership the two countries approved last September. The workshop marks the 40^th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties and salutes Vietnam Year in France 2014. It has drawn scholars from research institutes and universities in France and a number of other countries.