(VOVworld) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced an official development assistance package valued at around 1 billion USD for Vietnam during talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.

The amount will be allocated to five projects in Vietnam during the second half of the 2013 fiscal year. The projects include two sections of the North-South Highway, two infrastructure development projects at Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong city, and a program to support Vietnam in responding to climate change and enhance its competitiveness. The two sides pledged to continue their close coordination in the implementation of important economic cooperation projects such as the North-South Highway, the construction of the Ninh Thuan No. 2 nuclear power plant and the Vietnam Space Centre. They committed to considering the possibility of signing a plan of action to realize agricultural cooperation between the two countries, including the establishment of a joint working group in the field. 

The Vietnamese leader affirmed that Vietnam will create all possible conditions for Japanese firms to invest in Vietnam by effectively conducting the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative in improving investment environment in Vietnam. He suggested that Japan pay more attention to the implementation of the underway Bach Dang bridge construction project. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to back Vietnam in carrying out action plans in six prioritized sectors included in the Vietnam’s industrialization strategy. Japan will also consider Vietnam’s suggestion to create favorable condition for Vietnamese agricultural products to enter the Japanese market. The two leaders also agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, stability and development in the region, including peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation based on international law. After the talks, Prime Ministers Dung and Abe witnessed the signing of a diplomatic note of exchange for three projects in the 2013 fiscal year and attended a joint press briefing. The same day, the Vietnamese leader concluded his four-day visit to Japan.