Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) and Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki at their meeting in Thanh Hoá Province on March 29. — VNA/VNS Photo

THANH HOÁ — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính met with Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki on the sidelines of an investment promotion conference in the central province of Thanh Hoá on Sunday.

At the meeting, the Government leader praised the Việt Nam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for its strong, substantive, and effective development across multiple fields, with the high level of political trust between the two countries, especially amid increasingly complex regional and global developments.

He called on the Ambassador to continue promoting investment cooperation projects in Việt Nam, including in Thanh Hoá Province – a locality with significant potential and room for growth, particularly in supply chain security and energy sectors.

He expressed his thanks to Ambassador Ito Naoki and the large number of Japanese enterprises for their active participation in this Thanh Hoá investment promotion conference.

Ambassador Ito expressed his pleasure at meeting PM Chính in Thanh Hoá, noting that the province hosts several major Japanese-invested projects, such as the Nghi Sơn Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, Nghi Sơn Cement Plant, and Nghi Sơn Thermal Power Plant, all of which have contributed to the province’s socio-economic development and that of Việt Nam as a whole.

He affirmed that Japan, particularly Japanese businesses, will continue to prioritise investment in Thanh Hoá Province in particular and Việt Nam in general.

The ambassador also thanked the Vietnamese government leader for chairing the dialogue with Japanese enterprises on March 21, reaffirming that the Japanese business community continues to regard Việt Nam as one of the most important and attractive investment destinations in the region.

He further commended the strong support and favourable conditions provided by Thanh Hoá's leadership and authorities for Japanese investors, while pledging to continue promoting cooperation with the province in the coming time.

Ambassador Ito also expressed his hope that both sides would closely coordinate to effectively advance key joint projects, including the Nghi Sơn Refinery and Petrochemical Project and the Việt Nam–Japan University Project. — VNA/VNS