Japanese and global news sources have reported suspicions that Japan’s Pacific Consultants International (PCI) bribed Vietnamese officials to win the East-West Avenue contract in Ho Chi Minh City.

The project will use official development assistance (ODA) from the Japanese government.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Xuan Son granted VNA an interview to clarify this issue.

The deputy foreign minister said that as a poor war-torn country, Vietnam treasures every bit of capital, especially that granted by international friends.

“The Vietnamese Government has been managing and effectively and purposefully using ODA capital from Japan and other donors,” Mr Son said.

At Consultative Group (CG) meetings, the ODA commitment to Vietnam has increased every year, from US$3.7 billion (US$835 million from Japan) in 2006 to US$4.4 billion (US$890 million from Japan) last year and US$5.4 billion (US$1.1 billion from Japan) this year.

ODA loans from donors, including those from Japan, had significantly contributed to Vietnam’s realisation of its socio-economic targets, especially in developing infrastructure and alleviating poverty, the deputy minister said.

When word began circulating from Japan about PCI’s suspected bribery, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities immediately began dealing with the issue, Mr Son said.

He stressed that though no bilateral agreement had been reached between the two countries on judiciary matters, Vietnam was ready to co-ordinate with Japan to deal with the case in line with Vietnamese laws and any relevant bilateral agreements.

The Vietnamese deputy foreign minister expressed his regret that the information provided by Japanese agencies was insufficient and that some Japanese newspapers had printed inaccuracies relating to the case. This further ignited doubts about Japan’s ODA policies in relation to Vietnam and about the Vietnamese Government’s determination to stop corruption.

The senior official also revealed that, according to recent reports from the HCM City Department of Planning and Investment and the Management Unit of the East-West Avenue Project on selecting contractors, the entire tender process was conducted in line with Vietnamese laws and strictly supervised by the Japanese Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC).

Mr Son emphasised that the Vietnamese Party and State were pursuing a consistent policy of fighting corruption. “All acts of corruption and bribery will be strictly punished under law, without exception,” he confirmed.

He added that Vietnam always attached importance to preventing waste and corruption when using foreign ODA.

He went on to say that the Vietnamese Government would continue to work closely with the Japanese Government on clarifying and addressing problems related to the project.

The Vietnamese official asked enterprises of the two countries, including contractors, consultants and investors, to continue project efforts on schedule.

“We believe that, with joint efforts of the two Governments and peoples, Vietnam-Japan relations toward a strategic partnership will be consolidated and developed, meeting the aspirations and interests of the two countries and contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world,” concluded Mr Son. (VNA)