At a reception for JICA President Kitaoka Shinichi, the PM called upon Japan to help Vietnam with the construction of the Vientiane-Hanoi expressway running through the Thanh Thuy border gate in the north-central province of Nghe An.

Hailing the significant contribution of Japanese official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam’s socio-economic development, poverty reduction, and infrastructure construction over the years, he said the capital has been used publicly, transparently, and effectively.

Vietnam facilitates Japanese investment in the country, he said, and stands ready to welcome shifting Japanese investment.

Phuc highlighted the fruitful development of the bilateral relationship across spheres, with enhanced exchanges and political trust between leaders of the two countries.

The PM said he believes that with their potential, Vietnam and Japan will further advance their relationship after COVID-19, noting that bilateral cooperation has significantly contributed to peace and stability in Asia.

For his part, Shinichi lauded the Vietnamese Government’s efforts in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, saying Vietnam is the first country where JICA has dispatched volunteers to work.

He said ASEAN member countries and Japan share a lot of similarities, especially in natural disaster response. It is therefore necessary to strengthen regional cooperation in this regard.

The two have joined hands in personnel training, and JICA hopes to contribute more in this regard, he said./.VNA