Prime Minister meets with representatives of Japanese firms, universities

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has a dialogue with Japanese investors on November 24 (Photo: VNA)

Tokyo (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a dialogue with Japanese investors on November 24, during which the Vietnamese government leader affirmed that the Vietnam-Japan relationship has never been as good as it is now, and will even grow better  in the future.

According to the PM, Japan is currently the largest ODA donor to Vietnam, with nearly 27 billion USD, accounting for approximately 30 percent of the ODA that the Japanese government providing for countries worldwide.

He highlighted that Japan is among the largest foreign investors in Vietnam, with about 4,800 projects totaling over 65 billion USD. Japan is also the third biggest tourism market of Vietnam, with about 1 million tourists visiting the Southeast Asian nation. Two-way trade between Vietnam and Japan has so far hit over 40 billion USD.

The Government leader said Vietnam prioritises development in harmony with nature, climate change adaptation and digital transformation in the coming time, therefore, it urgently needs capital, technology and management methods, which are the strengths of Japanese investors, who have good understanding of and have a lot of success in the Vietnamese market.

Early the same day, PM Chinh received representatives from leading economic corporations and universities of Japan that intend to invest in Vietnam.

PM Chinh (R) and the general director of Shionogi Inc (Photo: VNA)

The general director of Shionogi Inc said that the group will continue to help Vietnam pilot the production of vaccines and drugs for COVID-19 treatment, adding that the firm wants to invest in a facility for vaccine and medicine research and production in Vietnam, the first of this kind of the group in Southeast Asia.

PM Chinh (R) and President of Hitachi Ltd., Higashihara Toshiaki (Photo: VNA)

Meanwhile, President of Hitachi Ltd., Higashihara Toshiaki proposed the Vietnamese Government allow the firm to expand its investment in projects on environment, health care, disaster risk reduction and railway in Vientam, thus contributing to the country’s development.

Meeting with representatives from Sumitomo Corporation – a partner of BRG Vietnam, PM Chinh applauded the firm’s investment plan to develop urban areas in Vietnam.  However, he suggested that the group should study to combine urban development with production and business, and development of cultural, sports and medical institutions.

During meetings with representatives from Ryukyu University Okinawa, Jutendo University, Hokkaido University, Waseda University, Hiroshima University, and Kobuta, Paramount and Horiba and Azuma corporations, PM Chinh welcomed investment ideas of the establishments, saying that these are all areas that Vietnam is in need of investment./.