Top Vietnamese leader’s visit to elevate Viet Nam-Japan ties to new heights: Japanese FM
To Lam to pay official visit to Japan
At the invitation of the State of Japan, the top Vietnamese leader and his spouse will pay an official visit to Japan from November 8-11.
In an interview with the press ahead of the visit, the Ambassador highlighted the significance of the visit in further promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries under the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World.
It will be the first visit to Japan by a Vietnamese General Secretary in 11 years and the fifth visit to Japan by a General Secretary.
The visit takes place after Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's visit to Viet Nam in May this year, stressed the diplomat, adding that it would provide an opportunity to elevate the Japan-Viet Nam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new level.
Three key areas of cooperation between Viet Nam, Japan
Ambassador Naoki highlighted three major areas of cooperation that Japan places importance on its relations with Viet Nam.
First, strengthening cooperation and working together to contribute to maintaining regional peace and stability amid increasingly complex international developments and mounting challenges to the international order.
Secondly, promoting cooperation in enhancing economic security, consolidating supply chains and innovation.
The two sides have identified artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, digital transformation, green transformation, critical minerals, food security and agriculture as priority areas for future cooperation.
Thirdly, bolstering cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
In semiconductor sector, the two countries are currently implementing cooperation projects involving five pairs of universities, including joint research and doctoral training programs for Vietnamese students in Japan.
During the upcoming visit, the two sides are expected to announce six additional joint research projects. Japan aims to train a total of 250 Vietnamese semiconductor professionals through doctoral programs.
In energy sector, Japan hopes to promote cooperation between the two governments and private-sector businesses to ensure energy supplies meet Viet Nam's growing demand as its economy develops. Under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), Japanese companies are considering plans to develop LNG-fired power plants in Viet Nam.
The number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan is expected to exceed 700,000 for the whole year, while Japanese arrivals in Viet Nam are projected to approach 900,000. Ambassador Naoki expressed his confidence that two-way travel would reach two million visits before 2030.
Bilateral trade to hit US$75 billion by 2030
The diplomat noted that in the first nine months of this year, the bilateral trade rose 15 percent to US$43.7 billion. The figure is expected to reach approximately US$58 billion for the full year.
Over the past decade, bilateral trade has expanded 1.8-fold, underlined the Ambassador, expecting that it could reach US$75 billion by 2030.
The expansion of the bilateral trade would help attract high-quality foreign direct investment (FDI), thereby making a positive contribution to Viet Nam's efforts to develop its new economic growth model, he said.
During January-September, Japanese investment in Viet Nam increased by 15.5 percent to US$2.45 billion, raising Japan's cumulative investment in Viet Nam to US$81.2 billion.
Naoki expressed his hope that business links between the two countries would continue to expand, with more Japanese companies possessing technological strengths investing and operating in Viet Nam.
This would help broaden supporting industries, enhance technological capabilities and create opportunities for more Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply in global supply chains and value chains, stated the diplomat./.
