Japan Pledges More Assistance to Vietnam, Senior Official Says

The Japanese government will continue assisting Vietnam in realizing development goals, including infrastructure improvement and poverty reduction, Japanese Deputy Minister of Finance Nakao Takehiko said.  Takehiko made the statement at his meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Finance Vuong Dinh Hue in the capital city of Hanoi on December 12.  The Japanese government has recently pledged to provide Vietnam with an official development assistance (ODA) of $1.9 billion in the 2012 fiscal year. The Japanese official said that, amid the word economy turmoil, Vietnam has still managed to curb inflation, stabilized the macro-economy, and boost exports. At the meeting, Hue proposed the Japanese Finance Ministry continue aiding the Vietnamese Finance Ministry in implementing projects on tax management and electronic customs systems. He also proposed the Japanese ministry assist Vietnam in restructuring its financial system, public investment and state-owned enterprises.  Many Japan-funded projects have been completed and put in use in Vietnam, including Tan Son Nhat international airport, Pha Lai and Phu My hydropower plants, Bai Chay and Thanh Tri bridges and Cai Mep-Thi Vai port. A number of Vietnamese projects will get assistance from Japanese such as North-South expressway, Hoa Lac hi-tech park, Ho Chi Minh City-Nha Trang and Hanoi-Vinh express railways. (news.gov.vn Dec 13, mof.gov.vn Dec 13)