HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng on Thursday received Maeda Tadashi, Governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), who pledged that the bank will continue to support Việt Nam’s strategic development goals.
PM Hưng expressed appreciation for Maeda’s personal contributions and JBIC’s continued financial support for Japanese-invested projects in Việt Nam.
He expressed his delight at the increasingly substantive and effective development of the Việt Nam–Japan friendship and cooperation, particularly significant progress made since the two countries upgraded ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership nearly three years ago.
The PM reaffirmed that Japan remains one of Việt Nam’s leading economic partners, noting that cooperation in science and technology, as well as emerging fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, green transition, renewable energy and space, has also achieved notable new progress.
He highlighted the recent official visit to Việt Nam by Japanese PM Takaichi Sanae, during which the two leaders agreed to further deepen bilateral ties in pursuit of sustainable development in a new era.
PM Hưng said there remains ample room to expand bilateral cooperation, stressing JBIC’s important role in mobilising financial resources and advancing strategic infrastructure projects to support Việt Nam’s long-term development goals, particularly its green transition.
To implement agreements reached during PM Takaichi’s visit, the Vietnamese Government leader called on JBIC to continue serving as a bridge for cooperation by developing appropriate financing and investment guarantee mechanisms to support the establishment of industrial clusters, innovation hubs and high-tech manufacturing facilities in Việt Nam.
Such efforts, he said, will accelerate the country’s industrialisation and modernisation while supporting major national priorities, including high-quality foreign investment, private-sector development, the establishment of an international financial centre, and growth driven by science, technology, innovation and digital transformation.
He also expressed his hope that JBIC will help strengthen Việt Nam’s economic resilience by encouraging Japanese investment in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, AI, batteries, new materials, critical minerals and high-tech industries.
The PM urged the bank to expand financial support, investment guarantees and co-financing for new investment projects, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), thereby promoting technology transfer, improving corporate governance and strengthening supply chain linkages between the two countries.
The Vietnamese Government leader also called for continued support to ensure the efficient operation of the Nghi Sơn Refinery and Petrochemical project on the basis of mutual goodwill and shared benefits.
Welcoming progress on five of the 15 projects under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative, he urged JBIC to adopt more flexible lending procedures to accelerate the remaining projects. He also encouraged the bank to explore opportunities for Vietnamese businesses under the Partnership for Energy Resilience and Resource Asia (POWERR Asia) initiative.
He noted that Việt Nam is moving swiftly to implement new strategic policies and revise key legislation, welcoming feedback from foreign investors, including JBIC, to help improve the country’s legal and policy framework.
For his part, Maeda shared his views on opportunities to deepen Việt Nam–Japan cooperation, recommendations for attracting more financing from international financial institutions and the private sector, and recent global developments affecting Việt Nam.
Agreeing with the host’s proposals, he reaffirmed JBIC’s commitment to advancing concrete cooperation projects based on the strong bilateral relationship, while implementing outcomes of PM Takaichi’s recent visit and supporting Việt Nam’s long-term strategic priorities.
Maeda noted that while Japan remains Việt Nam’s leading provider of official development assistance (ODA), stronger economic growth will require a greater role for the private sector through PPPs, an area in which JBIC has extensive experience and is eager to support.
He said JBIC will continue working with Việt Nam to advance the 15 AZEC projects, with a combined investment of around US$20 billion, as well as power and oil and gas projects to strengthen the country’s energy resilience under the POWERR Asia initiative.
Maeda also revealed that JBIC is promoting cooperation with third countries in developing semiconductor and AI industries in Vietnam, such as semiconductor supply chains and data centres. The bank is also supporting Vietnamese start-ups and young enterprises through venture capital funds, while seeking cooperation in developing Việt Nam International Financial Centre and expanding cultural exchanges. — VNA/VNS
