VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam has developed a general plan to minimise and cope with the impacts of climate change with the assistance of development partners, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai yesterday, May 26, in Tokyo.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai delivers a speech at the 17th Future of Asia Conference in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: VNS)

He emphasised that it was essential for countries to not only increase their adaptability to change but also develop suitable economic development models.

Hai called on countries to share responsibility in protecting the Earth by seeking a common voice and agreement in international treaties.

Recent disasters in Japan affected not only the country but also others in the region, he said.

Without good coping measures a natural disaster could diminish many years of previous efforts and result in a greater barrier to sustainable development of the region, he said.

Hai said Viet Nam had concentrated on building policies and methods to cope with climate change in its sustainable development strategy. Plans called for the activities to be built and carried out flexibly in all localities, sectors and ministries.

The Vietnamese Government would also create good conditions and support for enterprises to adopt environmental protection measures and cope with climate change, he said, adding that Viet Nam would take advantage of international experience and support in building and carrying out the measures and policies.

On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai spoke with leaders of several Japanese socio-economic agencies.

The Deputy PM talked with people from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the Japan External Trade Organisation, the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentary Group and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Hai committed to creating favourable conditions for Japanese enterprises to participate in development projects in Viet Nam and thanked the Japanese Government for allocating Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Viet Nam during the past 20 years as it had helped to develop the country's economy and infrastructure.

He affirmed that Viet Nam would make the best use of ODA and expressed his hope that Japan would continue to boost important projects approved by the two countries.

Hai also took the opportunity to express sympathy over the devastating tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan on March 11. He said that as a strategic partner, Viet Nam would always stand shoulder to shoulder with Japan and support the Japanese people in overcoming the consequences of disaster.

The Japanese leaders thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their great support both in material and spiritual aid during their most difficult time. They said they believed that Japan-Viet Nam relations would be further improved and developed in the future, while revealing that Japanese businesses would soon restore manufacturing processes affected by the disasters in foreign countries.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News