Reporter: What is your assessment of President Truong Tan Sang’s forthcoming visit to Japan?

Mr Hung: This is a very important trip to Japan by a Vietnamese Head of State and it is also one of the first state-level visits to Japan by foreign leaders in 2014.

Vietnam-Japan relations have seen exponential growth in various fields. President Sang’s visit will provide an extra impetus to deepening the comprehensive partnership across differing areas like ODA funding, industrialization, agriculture, education-training and health care.

Reporter: Could you please elaborate on some highlights of bilateral relations in 2013 which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties?

Mr Hung:  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Vietnam trip and the exchange visit to Japan by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung were seen as remarkable highlights in 2013.

In addition, diverse activities and major events launched in the two countries such as the largest ever “Vietnam Days in Japan” festival helped deepen mutual understanding and appreciation between the two peoples.

The substantial relations provided increased incentive for Vietnam and Japan to push up cooperation in many fields from economics to politics and security-defence.

On economic cooperation, Japan remained Vietnam’s top ODA provider with the highest investment level among other investors in Vietnam.

In terms of education, the number of Vietnamese students studying in Japan saw three-four fold increases over the previous years.

The number of Vietnamese workers sent to Japan also reported a solid upswing with more than 10,000 per annum.

Cooperation in tourism, science and technology, economic, investment, culture and education also underwent drastic changes in 2013, laying the foundation for breakthroughs to strengthen ties in the time to come.

Reporter: During the Japan visit by Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung, Japan pledged an additional ODA funding of 25 billion JPY for Vietnam. What do you think about prospects for Japan’s ODA commitment for Vietnam in 2014?

Mr Hung:  Japan has been Vietnam’s biggest ODA donor for years. The Japanese Government continues to pledge high ODA provision for Vietnam in the coming time.

Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung witnessed the signing of a loan agreement, worth 25 billion JPY for a Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change in Vietnam (SPRCC) and the First Economic Management and Competitiveness (EMCC). This is regarded as a budgetary supply source for the Vietnamese Government.

During the upcoming trip by President Truong Tan Sang, both sides are expected to sign a new ODA agreement which will increase the ODA capital to a higher level compared to the pledged figure in PM Shinzo Abe’s visit last year.

Reporter: What’s your assessment of prospects for the Vietnam-Japan relationship as well as orientations for this year?

Mr Hung:  Vietnam will enhance the fine relations in both scope and scale by optimizing its industrialization strategy as well as Japanese investment in priotized areas.

Stronger cooperation should be pivoted around tourism, education-training, science- technology and security-defence.

I believe that 2104 and the following years will witness more vigorous growth of Vietnam-Japan relations which will significantly contribute to boosting socio-economic development and bringing great benefits to Vietnam’s relations with all nations around the globe.

Reporter: Thank you very much.