Meeting attendees were Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong, and related departments and agencies.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman Phan Van Mai expressed his profound appreciation for the commencement of commercial operations on Metro Line 1, describing it as a significant and meaningful gift from Japan to Ho Chi Minh City on the auspicious occasion of Christmas.
On behalf of the leaders and people of Ho Chi Minh City, Chairman Phan Van Mai expressed his deep gratitude to the Japanese Government, the Embassy of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and all involved parties for their support in bringing this significant project to fruition. The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee expressed his desire for Japan to continue its partnership in future metro initiatives, particularly with Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) and other key urban transportation projects.
Chairman Phan Van Mai noted that in the past week, Ho Chi Minh City has worked closely with various ministries and agencies to finalize legal procedures and prepare for the inauguration of Metro Line 1 on December 22. He emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration to address any outstanding and emerging issues during the construction of Metro Line 1.
Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu stated that Japan is involved in 16 significant projects in Vietnam, with two major initiatives located in Ho Chi Minh City: Metro Line 1 and the water environment improvement project, both of which have shown considerable progress.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu emphasized that the leaders of Japan and Vietnam hold great hopes for enhancing bilateral cooperation as they move into a new era. Notably, Ho Chi Minh City's position as an economic driver is expected to serve as a benchmark for future collaboration between the two nations.
Ambassador Ito Naoki commended the collective efforts of all parties involved in bringing Metro Line 1 into operation, highlighting the guidance and support provided by the Ho Chi Minh City government. He expressed confidence that Metro Line 1 will make a significant contribution to the city's development.
He expressed his willingness to assist Ho Chi Minh City in advancing its urban transport infrastructure to meet international standards. Simultaneously, he emphasized the importance of promptly addressing the outstanding issues in the Metro Line 1 project.
