President Nguyen Minh Triet received representatives from the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentarians Federation (JVFPF) in Yokohama yesterday as part of his activities in Japan for the 18th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

President Triet expressed his delight at the fine Viet Nam-Japan relationship in terms of politics, economics and culture. He reminded representatives that during a recent visit by Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan to Viet Nam, both nations agreed on co-operation in rare earth exploration and exploitation, and the construction of nuclear power plants in Viet Nam, both of which were of great importance to lifting the bilateral strategic partnership to a new height.

Recognising Japan as an important partner, he appreciated the country’s official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam, which had contributed to hunger eradication and poverty alleviation.

He thanked the Japanese Diet, Government, and people for their valuable support of Viet Nam which testified the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries.

The President said he looked forward to further contributions by JVFPF members to promoting co-operation between the two countries in general and the two parliaments in particular.

JVFPF President Tsutomu Takebe emphasised that Japan highly valued the role of Viet Nam both in the East Asian region and within ASEAN, and congratulated Viet Nam on its successful chairmanship of ASEAN in 2010, marking a milestone in building the ASEAN community as well as strengthening relations between ASEAN and its partners, including Japan.

The Japanese Diet, Government and people attached great importance to expanding relations with Viet Nam in all fields, Takebe said.

Both countries had great potential to co-operate on large-scale projects and Japan was willing to help Viet Nam develop hi-tech industries, build infrastructure and develop the energy industry, he added.

On the same day, President Triet met leaders of Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation and JGC Corporation, two Japanese economic giants operating in oil and gas, and chemical and energy in Viet Nam.

President Triet called on Japan’s economic groups to further invest in Viet Nam, particularly in the energy, transport, environment and infrastructure sectors in which Viet Nam needs assistance for its socio-economic development.

Mitsubishi Corporation President and General Director Kobayashi Ken and JGC President Yoshihiro Shigehisa affirmed their commitment to continue expanding operations in Viet Nam, and their wish to further contribute to the country’s economic development.

The two Japanese economic leaders appreciated Viet Nam’s investment environment.

Mitsubishi has invested in infrastructure, electricity, chemicals, garments and textiles, automobile assembly, clean water treatment and solar energy in Viet Nam since 1991.

Mitsubishi is speeding up the implementation of a power project in the central province of Ha Tinh and showing interest in another power project in the southern province of Binh Thuan.

With strength in oil and gas design, JGC is a contractor in the Dung Quat oil refinery project and currently tendering for the construction of the Nghi Son oil refinery.

Later that day, President Triet met with US businesses of the US-APEC Business Council led by Chairman Alexander Feldman, including major groups operating in oil and gas, energy, media, telecommunications, clean water treatment and cooking import-export in Viet Nam.

The President said Viet Nam appreciated US business contributions to Viet Nam-US ties over the past 15 years, particularly in economic co-operation, trade and investment, adding that in 2009, US investment in Viet Nam rose sharply, reflecting the two sides’ aspirations to promote co-operation for development.

He said Viet Nam would ease obstacles for investors and was determined to improve its legal system and investment environment to attract more foreign investors, including US businesses.

Indispensable partner

President Nguyen Minh Triet described ASEAN as an indispensable partner in the region and the world as a whole.

Triet was among five speakers at the APEC CEO (Chief Executive Officers) Summit in the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum which opened in Japan’s Yokohama yesterday.

Addressing 500 CEOs from 21 APEC member countries, he said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had emerged as an integral political-economic bloc and a successful and dynamic organisation.

The growth of ASEAN had contributed greatly to integration in the Asia -Pacific region with its efforts to establish a common market, said the President.

A host of core co-operations of the ASEAN Economic Community were gradually materialising, establishing the community as a regional economic hub.

ASEAN had also established Free Trade Areas in the ASEAN Plus One model with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Relations between ASEAN and other major partners such as the US, Russia, the EU, Canada and East Asia-Latin American Co-operation Forum member states had constantly deepened.

2010 marked a turning point in the ASEAN-Plus One framework as the group signed a series of free trade agreements with partners. The 17th ASEAN Summit which recently ended in Ha Noi passed an overall plan on ASEAN connectivity, calling for more connectivity in infrastructure, policies and people.

In order to cope with threats of slowdown, inequality and unsustainable recovery of the global economy, Triet called on leading corporations to be in the vanguard to help developing economies build green, sustainable and knowledge-based economies.

This should be done through transfer of technology, development of energy-saving production methods and search for environmentally-friendly natural resources.

He also called on the corporations to work with ASEAN to speed up the roadmap towards an ASEAN Community by 2015.

Triet pointed to Viet Nam’s average economic growth of between 7 and 8 per cent in the last 25 years and the increase in foreign trade turnover between 15 and 20 per cent as good examples of the nation’s development.

He attributed these achievements partially to the country’s great efforts for regional and global integration.

The President expressed hope that regional multi-nationals would assist Viet Nam in three main sectors, namely infrastructure, human resources development and institutional reforms.

He reiterated the country’s commitment to creating favourable conditions for foreign investors to do business in Viet Nam.

Triet announced that Viet Nam would begin negotiating the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement as a full member, and prepare to start FTA negotiations with the EU.

Source: VNS