Vietnam-Japan ties thriving despite pandemic: Ambassador

The Việt Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership has been developing more solidly and practically than ever, even against the backdrop of COVID-19, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vũ Hồng Nam has affirmed.

He made the remark during an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chính's official visit to Japan from November 22-25 at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio.

Việt Nam remains a trustworthy destination of Japanese investors, according to the ambassador. Amid demand for a stable supply, hundreds of Japanese firms have decided to open or expand factories in the Southeast Asian nation. 

Japanese investors channelled more than US$3.4 billion in Việt Nam in the first 10 months of this year.

Despite the negative impacts of the ongoing pandemic, trade between Việt Nam and Japan hit $34.3 billion in the period, up 6.4 per cent year on year.

Japan has so far been the largest ODA provider for Việt Nam, focusing on such fields as infrastructure construction, transport, energy, health care, poverty reduction in mountainous areas.

The countries have stood side by side in the COVID-19 fight. In the peak times of the pandemic, Việt Nam presented more than 2 million face masks and personal protective suits to Japan. 

Japan offered nearly 4.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Việt Nam, together with over 4 billion JPY ($35.09 million) to help the latter improve capacity of its medical system.

In the upcoming visit, PM Chính will join talks with his Japanese counterpart Kishida and meet high-ranking officials of Japan. 

The two PMs are set to discuss orientations of the countries' relations in the post-pandemic period, towards the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023. 

They will also exchange views on new policies facilitating border re-opening, maintaining exports-imports and supporting investment.

In addition, the Government leader of Việt Nam will join working sessions with leaders of Japan's major economic organisations such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and conglomerates in the fields of green energy, transport infrastructure and health care, among others.

The PM is set to participate in the Việt Nam-Japan business forum in Tokyo and a trade promotion event linking localities of the two countries in Tochigi, during which he will inform Japanese firms about investment incentives and potential of the Vietnamese market.

He will meet with the Vietnamese community in Japan to affirm the consistent policy of the Party and State on consolidating the great national solidarity and upholding the strength of the whole nation.

The Vietnamese diplomat believes that the Japan visit by PM Chính will be a success, creating momentum for Việt Nam-Japan ties and becoming a hallmark in bilateral relations. VNA/VNS