Vietnamese and Japanese leaders released a joint statement Wednesday [November 27] to show their commitments for comprehensive cooperation relations, highlighting their roles in settling global problems, after the companies signed 26 deals valued at US$4.5 billion, state-run Nhan Dan newspaper reported.
The communiqué and deals were reached during the first visit of the Vietnamese President Japan since the bilateral diplomatic ties were set up September 21, 1973.
President Triet and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda agreed to boost the comprehensive cooperation from diplomatic, political, economic, trade, investment, science, technology and infrastructure and pledged to expand co-concerted efforts in settling global and regional issues such as climate change, environment pollution and terrorism.
The Vietnamese president held talks with Japan’s four groups in New Otani Hotel in Tokyo including Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Itochu, and called on them to invest in his country’s infrastructure, power generation, and transport projects.
Mitsubishi said it wants to invest in an aircraft spare parts facility and the space science industry, Marubeni is keen on thermal power generation projects, and Itochu is interested in railway and bauxite ore production projects and expansion of its retail network in Vietnam.
President Triet and Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai witnessed signing ceremonies of 14 deals worth US$4.2 billion, including MOU on construction of Vung Ang 1 thermal power plant reached between Lilama and Sumitomo, the frame agreement of US$1.25 billion between Vung Ang 2 joint stock company, One Energy of Mitsubishi and REE Corp, the US$1.5 billion deal between Saigon Invest Co and Marubeni to build thermal and wind-to-power plants in central Binh Dinh province.
Japan is Vietnam’s strategic economic partner and leading donor. Japanese investments soared nine times over the past 3 years.
Bilateral trade surged to US$10 billion last year, up 21.8 on year, of which Vietnam exported US$5.6 billion worth goods, up 24.1 per cent on-year and imported US$4.3 billion on Japanese goods, up 18.9 per cent.
Vietnam had shipped US$3.67 billion worth goods to Japan in the first eight months, up 5.67 per cent on year.
Japan provides Vietnam with JPY100 billion annually since the fiscal year of 2005, which is of great significance in boost the country’s socioeconomic development, infrastructure and poverty reduction. (The People, Young People, People’s Army)
Vietnamese
