Vietnam wants to closely cooperate with France in developing its nuclear power projects.Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang expressed his hope at a working session with former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who visited Hanoi recently.France is a leading nuclear power producer in the world and Vietnam hopes to learn from its experience, Hoang told de Villepin. Vietnam is currently working o­n Ninh Thuan 1&2 nuclear power plant projects in Ninh Thuan province, aiming to meet the country’s increasing demand for electricity at present and in the future.At the meeting, Hoang acknowledged the efficiency of French-invested projects in Vietnam, saying as of March 2013 France had invested a total of US$3.1 billion in 383 projects in Vietnam, ranking 16th among foreign investors in the country.He noted two-way trade between Vietnam and France has increased considerably over the years, reaching US$3.752 billion in 2012 alone.Vietnam is also now the seventh largest recipient of official development assistance (ODA) from the French government.Former French PM de Villepin said the government and businesses of France are paying attention to energy projects in Vietnam, and are willing to assist the country in developing its energy sector.