Thanh Hoa and Japan are expanding green cooperation, from the circular economy and green transition to carbon capture and storage, with a focus on Nghi Son.
On September 23, Mr. Cao Van Cuong, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, met with a delegation from the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam, led by Fukuhara Teppei, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy. The two sides discussed opportunities to promote the circular economy and green transition.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed plans to cooperate on green transition (GX) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) at the Nghi Son Economic Zone. They also explored plans to organize an investment forum to help advance the net-zero economy, with a particular focus on CCS policies in Thanh Hoa.
Mr. Cao Van Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, meets with a delegation from the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam led by Fukuhara Teppei, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy. Photo: Le Hoi.Mr. Cao Van Cuong said Japan is one of Thanh Hoa’s key partners in external relations, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Cooperation between the province and Japanese agencies, organizations, local governments and businesses has continued to expand.
Thanh Hoa currently has 22 FDI projects involving Japanese investors, either independently or in partnership with investors from other countries, with total registered capital of around $12.9 billion. Japanese investors account for about $6.17 billion of that amount. Major projects, including the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, Nghi Son 2 Thermal Power Plant, Nghi Son Cement Plant, Thang Long Thanh Hoa Industrial Park and Aeon Mall Thanh Hoa, have contributed significantly to the province’s economic development.
Notably, Thanh Hoa has agreed in principle to study and develop a memorandum of understanding on CCS cooperation with Japanese partners. The province is also ready to work with its Japanese counterparts to organize a forum on CCS. This is seen as a new area of cooperation that links emissions reduction efforts with Nghi Son’s industrial base, infrastructure and large-scale production capacity.
A view of the Nghi Son Economic Zone. Photo: Dinh Tiep.According to Fukuhara Teppei, the existing investment ties between Japan and Thanh Hoa provide a foundation for the two sides to expand cooperation into areas that support green and sustainable development. The Embassy of Japan will continue to coordinate with Thanh Hoa and support efforts to attract Japanese businesses to the province, particularly in green transition, environmental technology, the circular economy and CCS.
The two sides agreed to continue connecting government agencies, organizations and businesses to promote research, technology transfer and the mobilization of green finance. These efforts will gradually help build a CCS value chain in the Nghi Son Economic Zone while creating more opportunities to attract high-tech and environmentally friendly projects.