PM Chinh welcomes Marubeni's strategic investment expansion in Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation to deepen its strategic investments in Vietnam, positioning the country as a key base for its "long-term vision and large-scale implementation", according to a report from the Government News.

During a meeting in Hanoi on July 14, PM Chinh assured Marubeni CEO Masayuki Omoto that legal obstacles for major energy projects, including the O Mon II gas-fired power plant, have been resolved and that a feasible legal framework is now in place for LNG and offshore wind investments.

The PM encouraged Marubeni to expand its footprint in high-priority sectors, especially energy. He called for investment in gas-fired and offshore wind power projects to fuel GDP growth, support the development of artificial intelligence and big data infrastructure, and facilitate electricity exports to ASEAN nations.

Further areas for collaboration proposed by the PM included: partnering with Vinacomin to export coal to Japan; developing crop varieties and livestock, and building brands for exporting key Vietnamese products like coffee, rice, and high-quality foods; and investing in industrial parks and establishing factories for products such as instant noodles, mochi cakes, and pharmaceuticals for both domestic and export markets.

PM Chinh also called on Marubeni to help integrate Vietnamese businesses into its global supply chains and to support human resource training, scientific cooperation, and digital transformation.

In response, CEO Masayuki Omoto lauded Vietnam's strategic policy-making and its improving business environment, noting that government reforms to streamline the state apparatus would enhance efficiency and shorten licensing and decision-making timelines for investors.

Emphasizing that Vietnam is a "very important strategic market", Mr. Omoto reaffirmed Marubeni's commitment to the country's development. He announced that the corporation plans a major expansion with high-quality investments focused on human resource training. These ambitious plans include the O Mon II and Quang Ninh LNG power projects, wind and solar farms, the Amata City Ha Long Industrial Park, new processing factories for export, and smart city developments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Highlighting the company's rare 80-year investment history in Vietnam, PM Chinh stated that Marubeni's effective operations have significantly contributed to Vietnam's socio-economic growth. He concluded by reaffirming that the Vietnamese Government will always create favorable conditions for foreign investors, operating in the spirit of "harmonized benefits, shared risks".

Marubeni's office in Vietnam was established in 1991. The corporation's projects in Vietnam currently employ around 7,500 Vietnamese staff and generate a total annual revenue of about $3 billion.