‘Meet Japan 2020’ offers development chance for Vietnam

The event, which has been co-organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, aims to support the Vietnamese Government and businesses in international integration, especially in strengthening connectivity and co-operation between Vietnam and its foreign strategic partners worldwide.

In attendance at the ‘Meet Japan’ conference were figures such as Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, and Director of the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment Do Nhat Hoang. They were joined by Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio and Japanese Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City Watanabe Nobuhiro. In addition, representatives from The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), JETRO, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (JCCI) participated in the event.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son highlighted the strong and substantive development of the extensive strategic partnership between both sides in various areas, along with the high level of political trust that now exists.

He thanked Japan for its valuable support in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed hope the two countries will continue to work closely to defeat the ongoing pandemic.

Japan is Vietnam’s leading important economic partner, the largest official development assistance (ODA) donor, the second biggest investor, the third largest tourism partner, and the fourth largest trading partner, Son noted.

Both sides are working on connecting the two economies in a sustainable manner while focusing on bolstering trade, investment, production capacity, and human resources based on the principle of mutual benefits.

Most notably, co-operation between the two countries has also seen positive progress in education, labour, response to climate change, science and technology, education and training, culture, sports, tourism, and the environment. In addition, people-to-people exchanges are also developing in a rapid and substantive manner.

Relations between various localities from the two countries are also thriving, with more than 70 co-operation documents inked so far.

Deputy Minister Son affirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic missions of Japan will continue to support Vietnamese localities as they strive to connect with Japanese partners in the future.