The forum is chaired by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and co-organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan, Vietnam Embassy in Japan, ASEAN-Japan Center (AJC). The forum drew the attendance of comrades: Pham Quang Hieu, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan; Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of VCCI, along with a lot of businesses and trade promotion organizations of the two countries...

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Quoc Van and delegates attend the Forum. Photo: Duc Thinh - VNA in Tokyo (Japan)

Speaking at the forum, Ms. Kakihara Atsuko, Co-Chair of the Japan-Mekong Business Cooperation Committee, JCCI assessed that the forum is a good opportunity for Japanese investors to access and update the useful information about Vietnam's economic and trade situation, foreign investment attraction in general, and most directly, representatives of localities are eager to call on Japanese investors to cooperate. Vietnam is one of the countries with high economic growth rate in the world and the region, while the potential for cooperation between businesses of the two countries is still very large. Ms. Kakihara hopes that with the foundation of friendly relation between the two countries that is developing very well in many fields today, investment cooperation activities between the two countries will be even more strongly promoted in the coming time.

Speaking at the forum, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said that in 2023, Vietnam and Japan will have a lot of practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations, including bilateral trade promotion activities. Vietnam is the top destination chosen by Japanese businesses to diversify their supply chains and Japanese investors are putting a lot of trust in Vietnam, as well as the prospect of business profits in Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the forum, speakers presented business and investment cooperation opportunities such as: The trends and investment needs of Japanese businesses in Vietnam in the coming time; overview of Vietnam's economy and the provinces participating in the forum. In addition, there were also introductions and direct answers to questions from leaders of Hung Yen, Soc Trang, and Long An provinces with Japanese businesses intending to invest in the locality.

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Tran Quoc Van, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Yen province said that Hung Yen province is in the center of the Northern key economic region, also a dynamic and economic center and Vietnam's economic locomotive. Provincial leaders determined their policy of continuing to maintain a high industrial growth rate, in a sustainable direction and as the main driving force for economic growth, making Hung Yen one of the provinces with industry in the group of strong development of the whole country, with large, modern industrial - urban - service zones; developing industry in depth on the basis of selectively attracting investment in high-tech, environmentally friendly fields; developing supporting industries, gradually participating in the global supply chain of large multinational corporations in the world.

Currently, Hung Yen province has received the approval from the Prime Minister on the policy of planning to develop 17 industrial parks (IPs) with an area of 4,395.43 hectares; of which, 11 industrial parks have had their Investment Policy/Investment Registration Certificate approved, with a total area of 2,873.38 hectares; total registered investment capital is 14,395 billion VND and 397.7 million USD.

In recent years, Hung Yen province has boosted attracting foreign investment, creating conditions for foreign investors to invest in the province. To date, the total number of foreign-invested projects in the province is 516 valid foreign direct investment projects with a total registered investment capital of about 6,313 million USD, foreign investors come from different countries and territories such as Japan, the United States... In particular, investors from Japan rank No. 1 in the number of projects with 173 projects and a total registered capital of 4,054 million USD, including: In the industrial park, there are 141 projects with a total registered investment capital of 3,496 million USD and 2 industrial park infrastructure projects with a total registered investment capital of 335 million USD; outside the industrial park, there are 29 projects with a total registered investment capital of 223 million USD... There are currently 169 Japanese FDI projects in operation with a total realized investment capital of about 3,258 million USD, creating jobs for about 45,000 laborers, the state budget contribution in 2022 is about 1,407 billion VND, equivalent to 45.5 million USD.

Hung Yen province values and calls for investors from Japan, especially large corporations to research and cooperate in investing in areas that Hung Yen province has strength and outstanding competitive advantages and demand for development as processing and manufacturing industries; clean energy, renewable energy; digital government, digital economy and digital society; infrastructure, smart urban areas; developing modern agriculture; industrial area; developing logistics infrastructure; finance, banking...

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Quoc Van emphasized that in addition to geographical location, developed infrastructure, convenient transportation, and available local resources, the province's Government wishes to cooperate and mobilize resources from outside, especially investors from Japan. Therefore, the province always welcomes Japanese investors and businesses to learn and invest in Hung Yen.

Also within the framework of the business trip to Japan, previously, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Quoc Van had a working session with leaders of Sumitomo Group on the investment and cooperation projects of this enterprise in Hung Yen province.