On the afternoon of March 1, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a discussion with large Japanese corporations and enterprises.
Also attending were Deputy Prime Ministers Ho Duc Phoc and Nguyen Chi Dung, leaders of central ministries and branches and some localities, and leaders of 12 large corporations and enterprises. On the Japanese side, there were the Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, leaders of international organizations and Japanese business associations, and representatives of 15 large corporations and enterprises.
Vietnam - one of the most expected countries
According to reports and opinions at the seminar, in recent times, economic - trade - investment cooperation has continued to play a pivotal role and is a bright spot in the relationship between the two countries. Japan is currently Vietnam's leading economic partner, the largest ODA provider and labor partner, the third largest investor, and the fourth largest trade and tourism partner of Vietnam.
Japan has provided Vietnam with more than 20 billion USD in loans, nearly 750 million USD in non-refundable aid and about 1.34 billion USD in technical cooperation support. Japan currently has more than 5,500 FDI projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 78.3 billion USD.
Bilateral trade turnover in 2024 will reach 46.2 billion USD, of which Vietnam's imports from Japan will reach 21.6 billion USD. There are more than 600,000 Vietnamese people living and working in Japan, an 8-fold increase over the past 10 years, with more than 70,000 Vietnamese workers going to Japan in 2024 alone.
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki said that many Japanese enterprises have the desire and enthusiasm to increase investment and trade with Vietnam; enterprises all expect the development of Vietnam's economy in the coming time, especially with the era of rising up, the revolution in streamlining the organizational apparatus...
The Ambassador believes that the current results of simplifying administrative procedures, speeding up decision-making, and improving the investment environment of the Vietnamese Government will help increase Japanese investment.
Mr. Ozasa Haruhiko, Chief Representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Hanoi, said that through the most recent survey with Japanese enterprises, the importance of emerging markets has increased significantly and one of the most anticipated countries is Vietnam.
Accordingly, more than 60% of Japanese enterprises in Vietnam are expected to make a profit in 2024, the highest in the past 5 years. Enterprises also predict strong growth, with 56% of enterprises planning to expand operations in the next 1-2 years, ranking first in ASEAN and Vietnam being one of the countries with the strongest growth momentum.
At the seminar, Japanese enterprises and organizations, such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), JBIC Bank, Moeco, Marubeni, Tokyo Gas, Shimizu, Sumitomo, Hitachi, Nippon Koei, Toyota, Aeon, etc., presented cooperation opportunities and made recommendations in areas such as energy, the implementation of Hanoi urban railway line 2 Nam Thang Long-Tran Hung Dao, the North-South expressway section Ben Luc-Long Thanh, the development of transportation in the Mekong Delta, the development of the Vietnam-Japan University, promoting investment towards the future, and implementing new generation ODA projects.
Completely remove the obstacles
In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the opinions expressed with a high sense of responsibility, deep affection, sincerity, trust, and especially the very frank exchange to resolve difficulties and shortcomings in implementing cooperation projects.
The Prime Minister assigned the Government Office, ministries and branches to synthesize and absorb opinions at the seminar, promptly submit and issue the Prime Minister's conclusions for ministries, branches and agencies to implement with the spirit of valuing time, intelligence and decisiveness, "clear people, clear work, clear time, clear responsibility, clear results" between the parties.
In response to Japanese enterprises' concerns about Vietnam's drastic streamlining of its apparatus, the Prime Minister said that the goal is for the apparatus to operate effectively and efficiently, decentralize and delegate more power, cut down and simplify administrative procedures, remove obstacles and difficulties, eliminate the request-grant mechanism, enhance smart governance, bring more convenience and efficiency, reduce time, input costs, compliance costs, reduce inconvenience and harassment for people and businesses, and improve labor productivity.
According to the Prime Minister, the implementation of this revolution and the operation of the new apparatus may also encounter difficulties, but Vietnam commits that agencies will resolve them quickly, without affecting people and businesses.
The Prime Minister said that in 2024, despite many difficulties and challenges, Vietnam achieved many important results, with a stable macroeconomic foundation, promoted growth, controlled inflation, and ensured major economic balances.
The business investment environment and competitiveness have been improved, with the realized capital of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects estimated at about 25.35 billion USD, up 9.4%, marking the highest disbursement level ever. Vietnam's e-Government Development Index increased by 15 ranks, the Economic Freedom Index increased by 13 ranks, the Global Innovation Index increased by 2 ranks, the Sustainable Development Index increased by 1 rank, the Human Development Index (HDI) increased by 8 ranks, making it one of the top 50 countries in the Cyber Security Index.
Among the above-mentioned common achievements, there are contributions from Japanese enterprises. On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister thanked the Government and Japanese enterprises for sharing the joys and sorrows, contributing to the development of Vietnam and the relationship between the two countries.
However, cooperation and investment projects between the two countries still have problems and shortcomings that need to be resolved. The Prime Minister assigned specific tasks to ministries, branches and agencies to handle, in which Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc directly directed, the Ministry of Finance urgently coordinated with the Ministry of Justice to review procedures and processes, propose amendments to related decrees, especially regulations on taxes on non-refundable aid, this must be done in March.
In particular, the Prime Minister assigned Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Bui Xuan Cuong and relevant agencies to complete before April 30, 2025 issues related to payment to contractors for the Ho Chi Minh City Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien Metro Line No. 1 project, which has recently been put into very effective operation.
The Prime Minister emphasized the spirit of honesty, mutual trust, based on practice, specific calculations, ensuring publicity, transparency, accuracy, harmonious benefits, shared risks, quick resolution of issues on the basis of overall benefits, the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries; agencies shall implement within their authority, if beyond their authority, report to competent authorities; the Japanese side shall provide sufficient convincing documents for the two sides to sit down together.
Regarding the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical project, the Prime Minister had many meetings and discussions with Japanese leaders, JBIC Bank and related partners. The Prime Minister requested JBIC Bank to promptly and actively implement agreements and commitments to soon resolve difficulties and obstacles for the project.
Consider Vietnam as a stronghold, an important link
The Prime Minister said that in 2025, Vietnam aims to achieve GDP growth of at least 8% in 2025 and double-digit growth in the following years; develop rapidly but sustainably, based on science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, ensuring progress, equity and social security, protecting a bright, green, clean and beautiful environment.
To achieve this goal, Vietnam is promoting three strategic breakthroughs, focusing on drastically and synchronously implementing many groups of solutions in the spirit of "open institutions, smooth infrastructure, smart governance and human resources", including the goal of reducing 30% of procedures and 30% of business costs.
The Prime Minister asked Japanese enterprises to step up exploitation of the vast economic, trade and investment cooperation space between the two countries to contribute to promoting the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; Japan and Japanese enterprises support, respond to and join in realizing Vietnam's growth target of 8% or more.
Vietnam hopes that Japanese enterprises, with their experience, resources and reputation, will support Vietnam in accessing shifting investment sources, green and sustainable financial sources such as the "Asian Zero Emission Community" (AZEC) and investment sources for science, technology, innovation, etc. of the Japanese Government.
Stating that Vietnam advocates selective cooperation and foreign investment attraction, aiming for quality, efficiency, high technology and environmental protection, the Prime Minister suggested that Japanese enterprises increase investment in industries and fields that have strengths and that Vietnam encourages, such as green economy, digital economy, circular economy, knowledge economy, semiconductor manufacturing, new energy (such as hydrogen), renewable energy, financial centers, green finance, biotechnology, healthcare, high-tech agriculture, etc., contributing to the implementation of Resolution 57 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and digital transformation.
Along with that, the two sides continue to strengthen cooperation to consolidate supply chains, develop supporting industries, build a highly skilled workforce, and ensure stable production activities for the benefit of both sides in a diverse, transparent, and sustainable manner.
The Prime Minister asked the Japanese Government and businesses to continue to pay attention to and promote the rapid implementation of key cooperation projects, especially in the high-tech field, which are symbolic in the relationship between the two countries, typically the cooperation project to launch satellites into orbit in 2025.
The Prime Minister also asked Japanese investors to continue supporting and creating conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply and substantially in global supply chains; helping Vietnamese enterprises diversify markets, products and supply chains.
Along with that, Japan will increase the new generation of ODA, expand it, increase the scale, simplify procedures, and create favorable conditions for faster disbursement. At the same time, the Prime Minister hopes that Japanese enterprises will make decisions faster and coordinate with Vietnam to harmonize procedures.
The Prime Minister said the Vietnamese Government commits to "3 guarantees" with the Japanese business community and investors.
The "3 guarantees" include: Ensuring that the foreign-invested economic sector is an important component of Vietnam's economy; ensuring the legitimate and legal rights and interests of investors; ensuring political stability, social order and safety; and institutions, mechanisms and policies to attract investment.
At the same time, with the spirit of harmonious benefits and shared risks, the Vietnamese side wishes to implement "3 together", including: Listening and understanding between enterprises, the State and the people; sharing vision and action to cooperate and support each other to develop quickly and sustainably; working together, winning together, enjoying together, developing together, sharing joy, happiness and pride.
The Prime Minister called on Japanese enterprises to trust, operate with peace of mind, expand investment and business, identify the bilateral relationship as the foundation, the support, consider Vietnam as a stronghold, an important link, build a supply chain, produce in Vietnam, and continuously contribute to the prosperous development of the two countries as well as the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.
Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/thu-tuong-trien-khai-nhanh-cac-du-an-trong-diem-cong-nghe-cao-bieu-tuong-cho-quan-he-viet-nam-nhat-ban-387214.html
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