At the event. (Photo: VNA) Hagiuda made the statement at a meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Industry andTrade Nguyen Hong Dien, within the framework of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’sofficial visit to Japan.
In the past time, Japanese businesses, especially those operating in the field ofautomobile manufacturing, have suffered negative impacts from the COVID-19pandemic, he said.
The Japanese minister said he hoped thatthe Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade would continue to accompany andsupport Japanese businesses investing in Vietnam to overcome difficulties andensure the maintenance of the supply chains to best serve production andbusiness activities given the complicated developments of the pandemic.
Dien noted with pleasure that trade turnover between the two countries hasincreased again, with a growth rate of 6.4 percent in the first ten months ofthis year compared to a decline of nearly 1 percent of last year, adding that the Vietnam-Japantrade balance has been still kept.
He suggested Hagiuda facilitate the penetration of Vietnamesegoods in distribution channels in Japan, as well as support Vietnamesefirms taking part in the supply chains of Japanese enterprises to maintain thebalance of trade.
The Vietnamese government has applied a strategy on safe, flexible adaptation to and effectivecontrol of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, adding that many policies wereissued to support businesses in terms of tax, insurance and labour to supportpost-pandemic recovery. These measures have been helping enterprises andforeign investors in Vietnam, including Japanese investors, recover strongly, Dien added.
Regarding industrial development and digital economy, Dien said thatVietnam is implementing a digital transformation strategy as well as focusingon developing foundation industries and supporting industries.
Vietnam considers Japan a leading developed country with a lot ofexperience in the above fields, he said, suggesting Japan provide more newODA support packages for the Southeast Asian country to develop digital economic infrastructureand assisting it in the development of foundation and supportingindustries.
Agreeing with Dien’s proposals, Haguida emphasised that Japan willcontinue to promote cooperation with Vietnam in the field of digitaltransformation.
Japan will also strengthen collaboration to improve industrial competitiveness of Vietnam through technology transfer, including effectively realising the"Vietnam-Japan Industry Innovation Cooperation Partnership"initiative, he said.
Related to cooperation within the multilateral framework, the two ministerspledged to continue working closely in the enforcement of the Comprehensiveand Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
They affirmedthat the cooperation relationship in the fields of trade, industry and energybetween Vietnam and Japan in the coming time will become closer and moreeffective, continuing to make an important contribution to the good developmentof the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries./.
VNA
