A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc paid a working visit to Japan from May 21-27. During his stay, Mr Phuc attended the 12th international conference on "The Future of Asia" and a seminar on Investment in Vietnam 2006. He also met with leaders of the Japanese political and economic circles to introduce the Vietnamese economy in the new period. On this occasion, Mr Phuc granted an interview to a Tokyo-based VOV correspondent Luu Anh Tuan to talk about the results of the visit.

VOV: During the visit, you have attended several conferences and seminars and met with Japanese ministers and parliamentarians. You introduced them to the results of the recent 10th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnam’s socio-economic development tasks in the next five years, and the new Investment Law. What are their opinions on these issues?

Mr Phuc: I must say that Japanese political and business circles and major media agencies showed their keen interest in the results of the Party congress. During the meetings, I briefed them about the results of the congress, which approved orientations for the five-year development plan. I told them that the National Assembly also discussed and approved the orientations, from which the Government will draft a plan of action to implement them. Japanese officials and businesses described the plan as "positive", saying Vietnam has drawn up overall development orientations and specific measures. They expressed hope that the plan would help foreign investors, including Japanese investors, further explore Vietnamese policies so as to build a strategy for co-operation with Vietnam along with specific investment projects in the country. They praised Vietnam’s continued efforts to accelerate the comprehensive Renewal process, describing it as a correct decision creating favourable conditions for Japanese businesses to promote long-term investment in Vietnam.

VOV: During the meetings, you confirmed that a new wave of Japanese investment has emerged. Do you know any areas Japan will focus on in Vietnam?

Mr Phuc: Through seminars at the Vietnamese Embassy and Keidanren headquarters as well as at the Future of Asia conference, Japanese investors showed their keen interest in Vietnam. I told them that the Vietnamese Government is calling on foreign investors to invest in areas in dire need of development. The Government has not suggested any specific priority areas, but I stressed on such areas as energy, development of material processing establishments, high-tech industries, material production industry, manufacturing industry, farm-produce processing industry, and services including tourism. Japanese investors said that they are interested in these areas, tourism for instance. They said that the number of Japanese visitors to Vietnam has increased sharply in recent years, therefore they want to invest in the tourism sector. I told them that Japan has many advantages, including high-tech, capital sources and management capacity, which can benefit Vietnam during the investment process.

VOV: Did they make any recommendations on how to attract and use Japanese capital resources, or how to combat corruption?

Mr Phuc: They did show concern about these issues, but they felt at ease as we have the Anti-corruption Law. I told them that Vietnam has devised specific measures and objectives to fight corruption, which are clearly stated in the resolutions of the recent Party Congress and the Government’s plan of action. They said they believe in the Government’s strong determination to curb corruption.

VOV: Thank you very much

Source: VOV news