PM Chính discusses FDI, ODA and visas with PM Kishida

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính holds talks with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on Sunday in the framework of the expanded Summit of the Group of Seven (G7) in Hiroshima, Japan. VNA/VNS Photo

HIROSHIMA — During talks with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on Sunday, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính suggested the two sides work together to promote a new wave of Japanese investment in Việt Nam in the fields of high-tech industry and energy transition.

The two leaders discussed specific measures to promote the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new height as they held a talk on the sidelines of the expanded Summit of the Group of Seven (G7) in Hiroshima, Japan.

The two PMs agreed to promote defence-security cooperation in war remediation, human resource training, defence technology transfer and cyber security.

The two leaders highly appreciated the completion of procedures for the capital commitment of the new generation official development aid (ODA) programme for economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, which totals 50 billion yen (US$362 million).

They also agreed to assign ministries and agencies to discuss the possibility of Japan providing new generation ODA with high incentives and simple and flexible procedures for large-scale strategic infrastructure development projects in Việt Nam.

They included North-South high-speed railway, urban railway construction, climate change combat, digital transformation, green transformation and health.

They agreed to direct the ministries and agencies of the two countries to accelerate the progress of several ODA cooperation projects such as Chợ Rẫy Hospital 2, Bến Thành-Suối Tiên urban railway project.

Regarding the Nghi Sơn Oil Refinery project, PM Chính suggested businesses of the two countries exchange in the spirit of harmonising benefits and sharing risks.

PM Chính called for the two sides to work together to help Việt Nam improve its production capacity and competitiveness to participate more deeply and widely in Japanese enterprises' and global supply chains.

He also expressed his hope that Japan will support Việt Nam to increase the value chain of agricultural products through technology transfer and capacity building in distribution and processing.

He also proposed that Japan create favourable conditions and simplify the procedures for granting visas to Việt Nam and in the future exempt entry visas for Vietnamese citizens to promote tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Regarding the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) issue, the two leaders emphasised the importance of ensuring the security and safety of navigation and overflight, and resolving all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and move towards achieving a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of documents to sign three ODA cooperation projects with a total value of 61 billion yen (about $500 million), including a new generation ODA for post-COVID-19 socio-economic recovery and development, public transport infrastructure project in Bình Dương Province, and agricultural infrastructure development project in Lâm Đồng Province.