Tokyo (VNA) – Vietnam appreciates the discipline, sense of responsibility,modern technology, advanced administration, and business culture of Japaneseenterprises and entrepreneurs while doing business and investment in Vietnam,said President Tran Dai Quang.

Addressing the Vietnam Investment PromotionConference in Tokyo on May 31, President Quang said the Japanese businesscommunity, including leading groups, not only act as pioneers in investmentcooperation but also help boost the bilateral relations in a more practical andeffective manner.

He stressed that the conference offered avaluable chance for the two countries’ businesses to review their investment cooperationand seek new affiliation opportunities, thus helping enhance and deepen theExtensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia.

The Vietnamese leader took the occasion tothank Japan for its support for Vietnam’s nation building, safeguarding anddevelopment, especially in infrastructure, human resources training and povertyreduction.

Japan is currently the biggest ODA providerfor Vietnam with over 30 billion USD committed, which has made importantcontributions to upgrading infrastructure, improving human resources,increasing national administration capacity and accelerating poverty reductionin Vietnam.

The works and projects using Japanese ODA have been operating effectivelyacross Vietnam, notably Terminal T2 of the Noi Bai International Airport, theLach Huyen International Seaport and the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung LuongExpressway.

In terms of investment, Japan is always aleading partner of Vietnam with over 3,700 projects totalling more than 50billion USD.

Bilateral trade has enjoyed stable growth,exceeding 33 billion USD last year.

People-to-people and cultural exchangesalso see strong developments. Last year, more than 300,000 Vietnamese peoplevisited Japan, and nearly 800,000 Japanese people traveled to Vietnam, henoted.

President Quang said Vietnam has become adynamic economy with GDP of about 230 billion USD and trade of over 420 billionUSD. With a population of nearly 100 million, it has strong purchasing powerand a rapidly growing middle class. The economy is actively stepping upintegration into the world through signed free trade agreements.

✱[Vietnam rolls out carpet for Japanese investment: President]

Vietnam has attracted nearly 322 billionUSD in investment from 126 countries and territories in key economic fieldssuch as manufacturing, infrastructure development, construction, real estate,energy, tourism and distribution. Many big international groups have hadfruitful investment and business activities here and became an importantdriving force of Vietnam’s economic growth.

He highlighted the goal of turning Vietnaminto a modern industrialised nation, so Vietnam has very big demand fordeveloping modern and synchronous infrastructure, energy and educationalsystems, which are also the fields Japan is strong in. This is a preciouschance for Japanese businesses and entrepreneurs to expand investment inVietnam, especially in manufacturing, agriculture, energy, IT, smart city,services, infrastructure, finance, banking, and innovative start-ups, and takepart in the equitisation of State-owned enterprises.

He underlined the country’s consistentpolicy of attaching importance to the partnership with Japan basing on thecommon strategic geopolitical-economic interests and trustworthy friendship,which have been solidified over the last 45 years.

Vietnam wants to bolster bilateraleconomic, trade and investment ties in the time ahead, and it always considersJapanese businesses and entrepreneurs a leading strategic partner inrestructuring the economy, promoting reforms and innovation, developing aknowledge-based economy, and improving growth quality and nationalcompetitiveness, President Quang added.

Speaking at the event, Chairman and CEO ofthe Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Hiroyuki Ishige recalledcooperation outcomes between Japan and Vietnam, especially their efforts to thesigning of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans PacificPartnership (CPTPP), emphasising that the deal will be a driving force foreconomic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries in thefuture.

Also at the conference, President Quang,Japanese State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoji Muto, and JETRO ChairmanHiroyuki Ishige witnessed the presentation of investment certificates andmemoranda of understanding on cooperation projects between the two countries’businesses and localities.

On this occasion, Vietjet Air announced thelaunch of a direct route linking Hanoi and Osaka which will be operated dailyfrom November 8 this year. Earlier, the budget carrier has worked with Japanesepartners to organise some flights from Vietnam to several Japanese cities likeOsaka, Narita, Sendai, Nagoya, Komatsu, Ibaraki, and Fukushima.

Deputy Director General of Vietjet AirNguyen Thi Thuy Binh said the Hanoi-Osaka route is the carrier’s first airroute connecting with Japan. The carrier will open more flights from Vietnam toother big Japanese cities in the time ahead.

Before the event, President Quang hadreceived JETRO Chairman Hiroyuki Ishige, thanking JETRO’s support in connectingenterprises and organising investment promotion conferences and dialogues tosolve business obstacles.

He asked JETRO to encourage Japanese firmsto invest in clean and hi-tech agriculture, support industries and mechanicalengineering in Vietnam, and help the Southeast Asian country to improve itsagricultural value chain and sell its agro-forestry-fishery products in theJapanese market.

The conference, jointly held by theVietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment and JETRO, attracted theparticipation of more than 600 enterprises from both sides. -VNA