PM encourages high-quality Japanese investment in Vietnam
VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh encouraged leading firms of Japan’s Gunma prefecture to expand their investment cooperation activities in Vietnam during a meeting with local businesses on December 15.
Chinh, who is in Japan for a commemorative summit marking half a century of the friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, said he was happy to learn that cooperation between Gunma and Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities has yielded impressive gains in various fields such as investment, human resource training, people-to-people exchanges.
There are currently 45 businesses of Gunma investing in Vietnam in fields such as plastics and transportation components manufacturing, and more and more local firms are keen to expand their investment in the Southeast Asian country. In addition, about 12,000 Vietnamese people are living in Gunma, constituting the largest foreign community there.
The Prime Minister said that the Vietnamese Government attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation between localities of the two countries, considering this a practical and effective cooperation channel to enhance investment, trade, labour and people-to-people exchanges.
He recalled the recent upgrade of Vietnam – Japan relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the Japan visit in November 2023 by President Vo Van Thuong, which he said would open up numerous opportunities for the two countries to expand cooperation.
Japan is currently Vietnam’s leading economic partner, the largest partner in ODA, second largest partner in labour, third largest partner in investment and tourism, and fourth largest partner in trade. Latest statistics show two-way trade turnover between the two countries reached more than US$40 billion in the January – November 2023 period. Japan has so far poured over US$71.5 billion into more than 5,200 Vietnamese projects undertaken in most localities across the country.
Chinh said such encouraging results have yet to match the potential for development cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, as well as between Vietnamese localities and Gunma, especially following the recent lifting of bilateral relationship.
He expected that businesses of Gunma prefecture, with their experience, strengths and reputation, would continue to expand investment cooperation with Vietnamese businesses in areas where the two sides have many strengths and potential.
Vietnam prioritizes attracting investment into industries and fields such as green economy, digital economy, circular economy, knowledge economy, science-technology, innovation, electronic components, electric vehicles, semiconductor manufacturing, new energy (hydrogen), renewable energy, green finance, biotechnology, health, and high-tech agriculture, he said.
He assured that the Government of Vietnam supports and creates favourable conditions for foreign businesses, including Japanese businesses, to invest and do business effectively and efficiently in Vietnam.
The same day, the Vietnamese PM met with Ichita Yamamoto, governor of Gunma prefecture, and witnessed the signing of a cooperation document between Gunma prefecture and Ha Nam province of Vietnam.
