The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has reinforced its dedication to bolstering Vietnam’s economic growth over the long term, focusing on significant infrastructure, energy, and technology projects. In a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng on Thursday, JBIC Governor Maeda Tadashi affirmed the bank’s commitment to advancing 15 projects within the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative, which together represent an investment of around $20 billion. Maeda also assured continued support for energy projects under the Partnership for Energy Resilience and Resource Asia (POWERR Asia) initiative.
Prime Minister Hưng expressed gratitude for JBIC’s enduring collaboration and financial backing of Japanese-led projects in Vietnam. He noted the progress in Vietnam-Japan relations following the elevation of their partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership nearly three years ago. The prime minister emphasized that their cooperation now extends beyond traditional sectors and into new areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, renewable energy, green technology, and space exploration.
Hưng sees vast potential for deepening bilateral ties and urged JBIC to enhance its role in attracting investment for Vietnam’s strategic infrastructure and industrial growth. He called for the creation of financing and investment guarantee mechanisms to support industrial clusters, innovation hubs, and high-tech manufacturing across the country. Additionally, he encouraged JBIC to broaden its support for initiatives involving public-private partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and technology transfer, while boosting Japanese investment in high-tech fields like semiconductors, AI, batteries, advanced materials, and critical minerals.
Responding to these proposals, Maeda expressed strong alignment with Vietnam’s development goals. He highlighted Japan’s position as Vietnam’s largest source of official development assistance and stressed the increasing importance of private investment for sustained economic progress. Drawing on JBIC’s expertise in public-private partnerships, Maeda indicated the bank’s readiness to enhance cooperation in attracting international financing and supporting long-term development projects.
Looking forward, JBIC plans to continue its collaboration with Vietnam on the remaining AZEC projects and to support power, oil, and gas ventures aimed at boosting the nation’s energy security. Maeda disclosed that the bank is also fostering partnerships with third countries to advance Vietnam’s semiconductor supply chains, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and data centers. Additionally, JBIC is supporting Vietnamese startups through venture capital initiatives and exploring cooperation on the Vietnam International Financial Centre and broader cultural exchange programs, reflecting the growing depth of the economic relationship between Vietnam and Japan.