Japan continues to support Vietnam in achieving its key goal tobecome an industrial and modern country by 2020, said JapanInternational Cooperation Agency President Tanaka Akihiko.
In an exclusive interview with Vietnam News on August 27, Akihiko saidVietnam still needs various development demands that requirefinancial and technical support despite becoming a middle-income countryin 2010.
"Though Vietnam has become a middle-income country –an important milestone – I acknowledge that the support principle ofJapan to Vietnam is unchanged," he said.
"Japan willcontinue to help Vietnam achieve the key goal of becoming anindustrial and modern country by 2020 and meet the country's 5 and10-year socio-economic development strategies." confirmed Akihiko.
He noted Vietnam has faced many challenges en route to achievingits goal of industrialisation and infrastructure improvement, plusgreater human resources training, policy and institutional reform.
"Financial resources required for Vietnam's basic infrastructuredevelopment will be a huge number, so besides foreign loans, Vietnamshould mobilise capital from the private sector and this will be achallenge requiring priority handling in Vietnam" said Akihiko.
ODA priorities will be given to Vietnam in three main pillars:fostering economic development and strengthening competitive abilitythrough infrastructure building; enhancement of state management; andassistance for vulnerable groups through support of locality, health andhealth care development.
Japan will also help Vietnamreform State enterprises and cope with environmental problems such asclimate change and disasters, according to Akihiko.
Explainingthe role of ODA in Japan's economic foreign policy, the JICA presidentsaid in the current climate of globalisation, Japan believes it isnecessary to foster friendly relations with other countries in theworld. The development and peace of friendly countries retain a largeimpact on Japan's development and peace.
"Taking Vietnam asan example, convenient economic development of Vietnam will increaseJapan's investment. This not only contributes to boosting growth forVietnam but is also an advantage for Japan's economy.Infrastructure development through ODA sources will contribute topromoting foreign investment," stressed Akihiko.
Japan has nowbecome Vietnam 's biggest source of bilateral assistance over thepast 20 years. Japan has supported socio-economic development in theSoutheast Asian nation through infrastructure building, human resourcestraining, plus mechanism and policy reforms.
Last year markedthe 20th anniversary of Japanese ODA support to Vietnam and Japan hasprovided 1,836 billion JPY (approximately 18.785 billion USD) in ODAloans to Vietnam over the past two decades.-VNA