ĐÀ NẴNG — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc received Japanese Minister of Economic Revitalisation Toshimitsu Motegi on the sidelines of the Việt Nam Business Summit 2017, an event of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, in the central city of Đà Nẵng on Tuesday. 
At the meeting, PM Phúc expressed his delight at the comprehensive and practical development of the Việt Nam-Japan strategic partnership. The Government and people of Việt Nam welcome Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s participation in important activities of the APEC 2017 Economic Leaders’ Week, he said. 
The PM stressed that Japan was currently the biggest provider of official development assistance (ODA), the second largest foreign investor and the fourth largest trade partner of Việt Nam. 
After signing the Việt Nam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA), the two nations were co-ordinating closely in negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and other deals, he added. 
The PM expected that Việt Nam and Japan would further foster bilateral co-operation, particularly in trade, investment and ODA. 
He asked the Japanese side to soon license the import of Vietnamese fresh fruits, firstly lychee and longan, as per stated in a joint statement issued in June 2017, and support Việt Nam in implementing its industrialisation strategy and developing the auto industry. 
PM Phúc told his guest that he had directed the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other agencies to tackle hindrances to Việt Nam–Japan projects on energy and trade centre development. 
For his part, Motegi stressed that Japan valued relations with Việt Nam and wanted to expand co-operation to other fields. 
He congratulated Việt Nam on its successful hosting of the APEC events, and believed that the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Đà Nẵng would be also a success. 
The Japanese minister offered his sympathy to the Vietnamese people over great losses in human and assets in recent floods and natural disasters and hoped that under the Government’s direction, affected people will soon overcome difficulties and stabilise their lives. — VNS