HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has proposed Japan provide new official development assistance (ODA) loans to support Vietnam’s key infrastructure development projects, including urban and high-speed railways.
This request was made during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on October 11, on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Laos.
In their first meeting since Ishiba became PM of Japan, Chinh described Japan as a trusted, top-tier, and long-term partner of Vietnam, stressing the need to strengthen economic cooperation—the key pillar of the two nations’ relationship.
Chinh reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to providing favorable conditions for over 2,000 Japanese businesses currently operating in the country.
He specifically requested Japan to consider granting new ODA loans for Vietnam’s strategic infrastructure development, such as metro line, high-speed railway, and climate change adaptation projects in the country.
Additionally, Chinh proposed expanding cooperation into emerging sectors like digital transformation, green transition, circular economy, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Ishiba acknowledged Vietnam as a key partner in Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative and emphasized Vietnam’s role in Japan’s economic growth.
He assured continued opportunities for Vietnamese workers and trainees to study and work in Japan and pledged support for training high-quality human resources in Vietnam.
Ishiba also expressed strong support for PM Chinh’s proposals to deepen economic, trade, and investment cooperation, committing to work together to resolve any obstacles and foster favorable conditions for bilateral ties.
Both leaders agreed on the importance of strengthening collaboration and supporting each other at multilateral forums, such as ASEAN, the United Nations, and Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.
